Long Live The Queen
by offsides
Summary: With Harry Potter's hearing for Underage Use of Magic looming, and Sirius Black hunted for a crime he didn't commit and was never tried for, Harry reaches out to Her Majesty the Queen for help, with unexpected results. No ships. AU starting Ch 6-9 OotP, No HBP, No DH, No Horcruxes. COMPLETE
1. Tense Subjects

_Originally posted 9/11/15, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **A/N:** This is my first multi-chapter story, and it ballooned into something much bigger than I originally planned. It starts off a little slow (short chapters early on don't help), but picks up around chapter 10 and really starts building a head of steam around chapter 15. I'm updating the chapter headings and cleaning up a few typos for now, but this is otherwise the original story as posted. Once I do a full revision on the entire thing I will post it as a new story making it clear it's the revised version.

For those of you who care about shipping, this story does not have any. There are bits and pieces of teenagers awkwardly expressing their feelings in the early chapters, but despite some reviewers' opinions, things don't go anywhere near relationship status IMHO. If you can't handle that, oh well...

 **Chapter 1: Tense Subjects**

Harry Potter had had a lousy summer so far. It hadn't looked good going in, with Voldemort back and the Ministry falling all over itself in denial, but it had only gotten worse from there. First he had been stuck living with his small-minded relatives, with almost no contact from his friends. Then there had been the dementor incident, and while he hadn't lost his wand or been expelled yet, there was still the possibility of that happening at his hearing. When he'd finally been taken away from his relatives' house two nights ago, he'd found out that Dumbledore was leading an organization aimed at fighting Voldemort and the Ministry's inaction, and he was explicitly being excluded from it. And while it wasn't Privet Drive, he was still stuck inside wherever he was, and was expected to clean the place without magic (though at least he had help here).

The fact that his friends had gone along with Dumbledore's request to keep him in the dark only pissed him off more. Plus, his godfather, Sirius, hadn't done anything to help him either, although Harry now realized that he was having nearly as bad a summer himself. Dumbledore wouldn't let him leave his own house, for his own good. After all, if the Ministry found him he'd be lucky to be sent back to Azkaban before he was kissed.

Harry sighed. Between Dumbledore and the Ministry, he couldn't decide who was causing him more aggravation. "Aargh!" he said through clenched teeth, doing his best not to just scream.

"What's got you so bloody mental?" asked Ron, not realizing he was asking for it. Harry was starting to round on him when Hermione interjected, "Language, Ron!"

Harry stopped, glared at Ron, and then sighed again. "I'm just sick and tired of people trying to control me! It's bad enough that Dumbledore treats me like a child when I'm at school, but he even does it on summer break. And the Ministry seems to only care about doing as little as possible about anything that has to do with Wizards, and only worries about hiding us from the Muggle world. The only people who saw my Patronus were my cousin who knows about magic, and Mrs. Figg, who's apparently a Squib that Dumbledore's been having spy on me my whole life! Aargh!"

Hermione's look softened as she realized that Harry wasn't just venting, but that this ran a lot deeper. She put a hand on his shoulder for support and looked at Ron to try and get him to do the same. Unfortunately, he opened his mouth before she could catch his eye.

"There's not a lot you can do about it mate, not unless someone dies and makes you King," said Ron. Hermione gasped, feeling Harry tense and thinking that he was going to go after Ron. He started to move, then stopped, his face changing from angry to thoughtful. Ron, realizing his mistake, took the opportunity to step away a few feet before he realized Harry wasn't coming after him.

"What?" Ron asked. Harry shot him a brief glare before the pensive look returned to his face. "Sorry..." Ron muttered, and sat down to let Harry think. Hermione looked like she was about to ask him the same thing, but thought better of it after seeing Harry glare at Ron. After a moment she stepped back and sat as well, deciding that patience was her best option.

After a minute or so, Harry looked like he'd reached a conclusion, and looked at his two friends. "Are wizards considered subjects of the Queen?" he asked.

Ron looked confused, but Hermione smiled after a few seconds. "That's brilliant Harry!" she gushed. "I don't know for certain if they are or aren't, but I would think they would have to be, especially the Muggleborn."

"Well, who can we ask to find out the answer?" asked Harry, before Ron interrupted.

"What are you talking about?" asked Ron, still not understanding Harry's question.

Harry looked at Hermione, figuring she would probably jump in on the answer anyway. Seeing his look, she turned to answer Ron.

"In Great Britain, all of the citizens are subjects of the Queen. This means that she is the highest authority over them, although there are limits. But I think what Harry's getting at is that the Queen might be able to overrule the Ministry!" Hermione looked like she was set to continue, but Harry held up a hand.

"Not quite, but you've got the general idea," said Harry. "Right now, I'm mostly thinking about Sirius, and to a lesser extent myself. The Queen has the right to issue a Royal Pardon, which would wipe the slate clean. Sirius could have his life back, at least going forward, and I could tell the Ministry to shove off about using my Patronus to drive off those dementors. I just don't know if it would work."

"I bet Fudge wouldn't care what she said," said Ron, "he thinks he runs the place. Unless she paid him enough, that is!"

"Ron!" chided Hermione, although this time she was smiling. "I wish we were at Hogwarts, I bet there's something in the library about this."

"You would say that," Ron groaned, then laughed at Hermione's look.

"I think we should ask Sirius first, and see what he says," said Harry. "Maybe he'll have a suggestion of where to look or who to ask. I need to have a conversation with him anyway, so I'll go see if I can talk to him now." Harry turned to leave, hoping his friends would realize he wanted to talk to Sirius alone.

Hermione shot Ron a look of "let it go" when he made to stand with Harry, so he just nodded instead. "We'll see if we can find anything in the library here," said Hermione, but Harry just walked away, lost in his own thoughts.

* * *

Harry found Sirius upstairs in the master bedroom, feeding Buckbeak. He bowed to the Hippogriff before petting him, then turned to his godfather.

"Can we talk?" he asked. "I need to know some things, and I want your opinion on something."

"Sure, pup, let me just finish feeding Buckbeak and we'll go downstairs and talk," replied Sirius

"If it's alright with you, I'd rather stay up here where it's private. I don't want the others to interrupt, especially Mrs. Weasley."

Sirius nodded. "Okay, what did you want to talk about?"

"How come you never wrote me back? All you did was tell me to not leave the house, and then you never replied when I sent Hedwig." Harry looked forlorn. "I was trapped in that house with my horrible relatives, locked in my room and fed through a dog door, and you never replied!" Harry sobbed.

Sirius was stunned by Harry's outburst, then pulled him into an embrace when he realized Harry was crying. He mentally berated himself for not realizing that Harry's residence was no better than his former accommodations in Azkaban. "I'm sorry, pup, I didn't know," he said, trying to soothe his godson. "But I should have," he said, coming to a decision. "And you're right, I should have done something, no matter what Dumbledore said. We're family now, and that has to take priority." He continued to hug Harry for a few minutes as the boy sobbed and hugged him, eventually releasing him when Harry started to pull himself together.

"Do you mean that?" Harry asked, his eyes shining brightly. "Are we really family?"

"Yes, I mean it. I'll even make it official if you want, assuming you're willing. As the head of the Ancient and Noble House of Black, I can adopt anyone into the family I want." Sirius frowned. "Assuming you'd want to be a part of the Black family, given it's history."

"I'll think about it," replied Harry, pulling himself together, "but knowing you want me to be a part of your family is enough for now. I want to ask you more about what the Order is doing, but I think that should wait until I ask you about the other thing I wanted to talk about. As you said, family needs to come first."

Sirius smiled. Harry really was a resilient young man, and he'd clearly moved on from what was bothering him before. "So what did you want to know?"

"Well, it's two things, although they're related. First, do you know if British Wizards are considered subjects of the Queen? And if so, would you consider asking the Queen for a Royal Pardon? I don't know if the Ministry would accept it, but if we're all her subjects they might have to at least consider it."

"Hmm," mused Sirius, "I'm not sure. I would think we are, but I really don't know. I'd have to take a look at the Wizarding Charter to figure it out."

"The Wizarding Charter? What's that?"

"The Wizarding Charter of Great Britain is a document signed by what became the Ministry and whichever King was on the throne at the time, giving Wizarding Britain some form of autonomy from Muggle society in exchange for certain concessions from Wizarding society. I don't know what they all are, just that one of them was that Muggle hunting was officially outlawed. That's why my cousin's attempt to make it legal again failed, as it would have resulted in the Charter being revoked. That's how I found out about it, for that matter. I don't think many wizards even remember it exists these days."

Harry looked thoughtful. "In that case, the Queen might not even know about us wizards either. That could be a real problem."

"I'll tell you what, Harry," said Sirius, "let's ask Arthur if he can get us copies of the Charter and any other relevant documents. Then we can see what we're up against."

"I don't know, Sirius, I really want to keep this quiet, especially from Mrs. Weasley," Harry worried.

"I'll talk to him alone, it won't be a problem. Who else knows about this idea?"

"Just Ron and Hermione, and I've asked them to keep it quiet."

"Okay, we'll keep it to that group for now, especially since Hermione can probably help us with the research. I'll stress the importance of not telling anyone else to Arthur, and hopefully he'll understand. Now head on back to your friends before Molly gets suspicious. After all, I'm probably corrupting you with all sorts of things I shouldn't be telling you," Sirius finished with a grin.

"Thanks, especially about the family part. Let's talk again later, even if it's just nothing important," Harry said, as he turned to leave.

"Count on it, Pup." Sirius grabbed Harry and hugged him one last time before letting him go.

* * *

After dinner that night, Sirius pulled Arthur Weasley aside to talk about getting copies of the Charter. Arthur just raised an eyebrow when Sirius pulled him into an unused room and put up a privacy spell.

"Arthur," Sirius began, "I need a favor. Nothing major, but it's something only you can probably do right now, and it needs to be kept between just us for now. Will you help me?"

Arthur looked warily at Sirius. He was still looking haggard and pale, but something in his eyes was gleaming in a way he hadn't seen before. He gave Sirius a long hard look, but the latter man neither broke his gaze nor flinched. He was being serious, whatever this was about, and not trying to pull some sort of mischief. "I won't promise anything until I hear what you're asking for, but I'll at least listen. What are you asking?"

Sirius let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding, then handed a small piece of paper to Arthur. "Can you get me copies of any official documents on that list or related to it?"

Arthur looked at the short but significant list. "The Wizarding Charter? The Wizengamot Charter? What do you need those for?" Arthur's mind was spinning. He knew that he could get those documents for Sirius, but he wasn't sure if he could do it without having too many questions asked. And what on earth did Sirius need them for?

Sirius nodded. "As you may remember, I never got a trial. In fact, I was never officially found guilty of anything. They just decided that I was, and threw me in Azkaban. Harry's hearing made me wonder if there was anything in the rules that let them do that, or if I might be able to find something to force a trial and proclaim my innocence. Not that Fudge would even consider doing that, but he won't be minister forever."

Arthur nodded at the last bit. Fudge was an idiot who was burying his head in the sand, and sooner or later that wouldn't be enough to save his neck. He was still worried though. "You're not going to do anything stupid if you find something, like going public with it, right? I don't even want to think about the damage that would cause to the Order."

Sirius held up both hands, palms out, and shook his head. "Nonononono... Even if I find something, there's no way I'm taking it to the Wizarding world until at least Fudge is out of office, or something else drastic happens. I may be a little crazy after twelve years in Azkaban, but I'm not stupid." The last was said with a brief grin, but the Sirius's face returned to it's previous mien. "In all honesty, I'm not expecting to find anything in there. But it will give me something to do while I'm stuck here, and maybe it will even help me in the long run. I figure that it's worth a shot; after all, I've got nothing to lose."

Arthur considered that, and combined with Sirius's seriousness (he mentally chuckled at the turn of phrase), convinced him that he wasn't about to make any rash decisions even if he found something. "Okay, I can't guarantee it, but I'll try. It might be a day or two before I can get them."

Sirius waved Arthur off. "Sooner is better, but however long it takes, it takes. But, hmm... If you can get them before Harry's hearing, maybe we'll find something in there to help him too. Not that he should need it, from what I've heard, but every little bit helps."

Arthur hadn't thought about helping Harry with this until Sirius mentioned it, but after a moment's consideration decided that it was probably a good idea. "I'll do my best to get them tomorrow, if it can help Harry. I'll also talk to Molly about giving the kids time to look at them with you, rather than just having them clean the house."

"Thanks, Arthur," said Sirius. I really appreciate it.

"You're welcome," said Arthur, "and now I need to turn in if I'm going to get those documents for you tomorrow. Goodnight, Sirius."

Sirius took down the privacy wards as Arthur turned to leave. "Goodnight Arthur."

Once Arthur had gone, Sirius sat down to think. He knew that if Dumbledore got wind of what they were doing, it would probably fail. But if he could keep up the pretense of it being just for the hearing itself, and to look for far future help for himself, maybe they could pull it off. After all, he had nothing to lose. With that thought, he got up and headed for the library to see if he could find anything else that might help.


	2. Percy's Choice

_Originally Posted 9/18/15, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 2: Percy's Choice**

Percy Weasley had a dilemma, and it wasn't going away. Three days ago he had overheard Minister Fudge talking to his Undersecretary about the upcoming hearing on Harry Potter's Underage use of Magic, and he didn't know what to do about it, no matter how much time he spent thinking about it.

While he had chosen loyalty to the Minister over his family, he had rationalized it by the fact that the Minister was following the rules that held up society, whereas his family was trying to destabilize that society by claiming that You-Know-Who had returned. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized that his loyalty was to the rules more than it was to the person upholding them. And that was where his dilemma came from.

He knew that Harry Potter was accused of violating the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, which hadn't come as a surprise to him at all. After all, when he himself was at Hogwarts he knew that Harry had flouted the rules whenever he could get away with them, but now he'd gotten caught outside of Hogwarts where the Headmaster couldn't protect him. And if Potter was found guilty of the offense as charged, which Percy assumed would happen, he had no problem seeing the boy punished. The issue was, if he had heard correctly, the Minister was planning on at least bending the rules to ensure the verdict. And now Percy was faced with having to choose between his job and his conscience.

He knew he had to talk to someone about it, but who? Who could he trust to listen to what he said without either judging him or jeopardizing his career in case he was wrong? He pushed it to the back of his mind, knowing the answer wouldn't come quickly. Maybe if he spent some time not thinking about it the answer would present itself to him.

* * *

The answer, as it happened, presented itself the following morning on his way into the Ministry. Shortly after he got onto the lift, his father joined him.

"Percival," Arthur said coolly.

"Father," acknowledged Percy, knowing that the use of his full name meant that his father was still angry with him. He didn't understand why his father had been so upset after Percy explained his reasons, since he'd always been fairly level-headed when not playing with his Muggle toys...

A light bulb went off in Percy's head. He'd talk to his father about it. Not in detail, but even in general terms his father could help, assuming he was willing to. When they stepped off the lift, Percy tapped his father on the shoulder. "Do you have some time today?" he asked.

Arthur looked at him, as though deciding how to answer. After a few seconds he nodded, "I can make some. Sooner would be easier than later, I'm expecting a few reports this afternoon."

Percy let out the breath he had been unknowingly holding. "How about now?" he suggested, "before anyone grabs either of us."

"Okay," said Arthur. "My office?"

Percy nodded. "Yes, I think that would be best."

Arthur nodded back, then turned towards his office. He wasn't sure what was going on, but Percy seemed to want a genuine conversation with him, so he figured it was worth a try. Maybe he would come back into the fold, though he wasn't getting his hopes up.

The two men headed down the corridor and into Arthur's office before anyone could grab them, and then Percy put up a privacy ward once the door was closed. Arthur raised an eyebrow at that, but decided to let Percy make the first move.

"I need some advice, Dad," Percy said, once he'd sat in one of the guest chairs. Arthur nodded, but didn't say anything, so Percy continued. "Before I explain anything, I need you to promise that you won't jump to any conclusions or judgments and will hear me out. I know we haven't always agreed on everything, especially recently, but you've always tried to teach me right from wrong, and I respect you for that."

Arthur started to open his mouth to say something, but stopped himself. Percy was obviously troubled by something, and had reached out to his father for help even though they weren't on good terms at the moment. The last thing he wanted to do was waste an opportunity to bridge the gap between them. After a moment, he closed his mouth, nodded, and gestured Percy to continue.

Percy took his fathers nod as acceptance of his request, and recognized the olive branch of not commenting for what it was. He still didn't want to give his father all the details, but he knew he had to start somewhere. "Okay, here's what's going on. I've recently become aware of something that I don't approve of, but saying anything about it could get me fired, or worse. The thing is, I don't know if what's going on is going to make any actual difference in anything, or if it's just a matter of how things are going to get done."

Arthur looked a little confused. He was trying to follow his son's logic, but it wasn't very clear to him. "I'm not sure what you mean, Percy. Can you try to be a little less vague about what's bothering you?"

Percy sighed and looked thoughtful. Arthur realized that Percy wasn't upset at him for asking the question, he just wasn't sure how to answer it. Eventually Percy seemed to shrug inwardly, and answered his father. "First off, you know I'm a stickler for the rules, right?" Arthur nodded, successfully suppressing a grin (or was it a grimace). "Right, so there's a situation where someone did something they shouldn't have, and it needs to be dealt with. Now there's rules about how these things need to be dealt with, and there's no reason not to follow them. But the person who's dealing with it wants to make sure that it's dealt with, and is planning on at least bending, if not breaking some of those rules to ensure that the offender is dealt with. And I don't know if it's worth risking my career just to try and make them stick to the rules."

Arthur looked thoughtful. "May I ask a few questions? I think I understand what you're saying, but I want to be sure."

Percy nodded. "I won't promise to give you details, but I'll try to answer as best I can."

"Okay," said Arthur, "first of all, I think from what you said that someone broke the law, that they need to be tried, and that if found guilty there's punishment to be meted out. Am I correct so far?"

Percy nodded again, but didn't offer any details.

"I see. So the rules you mentioned must have something to do with the trial process. Are you saying that someone is trying to ensure the outcome of the trial before it even happens, maybe even rigging it? That it wouldn't be a fair trial?"

Percy frowned. Was Fudge going to rig it so Potter was found guilty before he was even tried? Percy didn't think it went that far, but he had to admit he couldn't exclude the possibility completely. "I won't say that's accurate, at least not to that extreme, but for the sake of this discussion you can assume that's essentially correct."

Arthur frowned as well. "I know what I would do just based on what you told me, but I know that's not what you're asking me to tell you. So ask yourself this: what would cause the most harm if you make the wrong choice? There's two branches here: whether the accused gets a fair trial or not, and whether they're guilty or not. I assume that the person running the trial is attempting to force a guilty verdict, yes?"

Percy nodded, and Arthur continued. "The most harm is done if the verdict doesn't match whether they're guilty or innocent. The worst case scenarios would be either if they were guilty but got off, which is more likely to happen in a fair trial from what you've said, or if they're innocent but found guilty, which is more likely to happen in an unfair trial. So which would be worse?"

Percy closed his eyes, clearly deep in thought. Arthur decided to give his son some time, and picked up the first of the day's reports.

Inside his own thoughts, Percy was weighing the options and considering his father's words. What would be the harm in either of those cases, and which one was worse? On the one hand, if Potter was found innocent even though he was guilty, was there any real harm? Sure, he would still be saying that You-Know-Who was back, but the Ministry had that under control right now. And while he did violate the Statute of Secrecy, he hadn't heard of any Obliviators needing to be called in, so it couldn't be that bad.

But on the other hand, what if Potter really was innocent? That would mean that You-Know-Who really was back (Percy shuddered unconsciously at the thought, but Arthur didn't notice it), and he must have had a good reason for using magic when he did. If he was found guilty in spite of that, they would snap his wand and expel him from Hogwarts, maybe even worse. And if You-Know-Who ever decided to try an kill Harry Potter again, he wouldn't stand a chance.

No, he realized, there wasn't any real question of what was worse, the question was did he have the courage to do something about it. Percy opened his eyes, and saw his father reading a report at his desk. He thought for another moment, then came to a decision.

"Dad," Percy said, getting Arthur's attention, "I need to tell you something, but I'm afraid it could come back to bite me."

Arthur looked at his third son closely. He could see the fear in Percy's eyes, but also the resolve to do the right thing that he's always hoped to see in all of his children. "I don't know what I can do, but I'll do everything I can to keep your name out of whatever happens. And if for some reason you need a place to stay, I'll make sure you have one."

Percy looked a little relieved, but still was nervous. From somewhere inside he summoned his Gryffindor courage and told his dad what he'd heard. When he was done, he realized that in spite of his fear he felt more relaxed. Maybe he was doing the right thing after all.

Arthur put down that report and leaned back in his chair. "Are you sure of this?" he asked Percy.

"Not one hundred percent, as it was just something I overheard the Minister discussing with Umbridge, but they sounded serious. And I did see a notice go out to the Wizengamot about a meeting called for that morning." Percy looked thoughtful. "I can try to confirm exactly what's happening, but that might seem suspicious."

"No, not right now, just keep your ears open. If we don't have an answer by the 10th, then maybe. I don't know how we're going to deal with this, but maybe you can help me with something related to it. I need to get copies of several documents, and you'd probably have an easier time getting them than I would."

"What do you need?" asked Percy.

Arthur reached into his pocket and pulled out a small note. He handed it to Percy, whose eyes went wide as he read it.

"The Wizarding Charter of Great Britain and all of its amendments, same for the Wizengamot Charter, what on earth do you need all this for?"

Arthur shook his head. "I don't actually know the details, just that Hermione wanted them for a research project." He didn't dare mention Sirius to Percy, at least not yet, but he figured Hermione's reputation would make it sound plausible. "I was going to try and get them later today, but if you could get them for me that would probably be better."

Percy thought for a minute, then nodded. "I think I can do it at lunch time without raising suspicions. I'll have them sent over this afternoon with a couple reports I've been putting off sending you for a while. Nothing urgent, just copies for your files." Percy stood up. "Thanks for listening, dad. I still don't agree with your decision to side with Dumbledore, but I'll try to be more accepting of it. I'm still worried about my position, but I think telling you was the right thing. I'll let you know if I hear anything else."

"You're welcome, son," Arthur replied. "We may not always agree, but we'll always be family. Please let me know if you have any problems copying those documents for me."

"I will. I'll see you later." Percy took down the privacy ward and walked out, no longer burdened by his dilemma.

After Percy left, Arthur took a deep breath, then let out a big sigh. If the Ministry was gunning for Harry this hard, who knows what was going to happen at the trial. Maybe Harry really did need all the help he could get to see this through. He shook his head, his thoughts switching to his third son. Maybe there was hope for him. If Percy could be shown the truth, he'd know that Harry was right, and the Minister was wrong. But that still might not matter if the rules weren't in his favor. Shaking his head, Arthur picked up the report he'd been reading. There was nothing more he could do about Percy right now, but at least he had hope.


	3. A 2 Act Play

_Originally Posted 9/25/15, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 3: A 2 Act Play**

Hermione Granger considered herself a studious girl, but even she had to admit that this was some of the most boring reading she'd ever done. While waiting for Mr. Weasley to bring home copies of the Wizarding Charter, she'd convinced Harry and Sirius that they needed copies of British Muggle law as well. As a result, with the help of her parents, she, Harry, Sirius and anyone else who was willing to help them were currently reading through the multiple tomes of Muggle legalese, looking for anything that was potentially relevant to Sirius' situation.

They hadn't told anyone else exactly what they were considering, just that they were looking for precedent that might be used to get Sirius a trial and/or a not guilty verdict. They hadn't found much, but perhaps after getting the Wizarding equivalents things would make more sense.

Molly had objected rather strenuously about the fact that they weren't cleaning the house with the rest of the children. Arthur had had told her that she had to give them time for their research project, and Sirius had stared her down when she tried to take Harry and Hermione away. Her own children weren't that lucky, and were grumbling rather fiercely about having to do all the work without them. Only Ron's quietly telling them that it was important got them to back down. After all, if Ron thought research in the library was important, the end of the world might be nigh.

* * *

That evening, when Arthur came home, he took Harry aside to tell him about what he'd learned that day. "Harry, I spoke with Percy today."

Harry tried not to look sour, but Arthur couldn't miss the reaction to Percy's name. He took a second to keep his composure and asked, "What did he want, sir?"

Arthur sighed. He knew Percy's decision to side against Harry would be a problem, but hoped this information might at least move things towards a more neutral footing. "He came to me with a dilemma, and after using me with a sounding board he told me some disturbing news. Fudge is planning on trying you as an adult in front of the full Wizengamot, and he intends to spring that on you at the last second. If you're convicted, they'll probably snap your wand, assuming he can't get you sent to Azkaban."

"HE WHAT?" shouted Harry, jumping to his feet. "That idiotic, brown-nosing..." He trailed off under his breath as he paced back and forth, interrupted only by Sirius slamming the door open and barging in.

"What's happened?" Sirius demanded, looking at Arthur angrily.

Arthur gulped - he knew that Sirius wouldn't take no for an answer, he just hoped it didn't cause him to run off and do something stupid despite his promises otherwise. Luckily for him, Harry beat him to it.

"Sit down and promise me you won't run off and do anything stupid, okay? I need your help, and getting yourself killed isn't going to do either of us any good," said Harry, looking Sirius straight in the eye.

Sirius stared back at Harry for a few seconds, wondering what happened, then he realized that Harry was right, and he might just do something stupid depending on what Harry said. He took a deep breath, nodded, and raised his wand. "I promise to not do anything without discussing it with you first, Marauder's Honor." Then he took a seat while Harry closed the door. "Besides, I already promised Arthur I wouldn't do anything stupid if I found anything that could get me a trial or help you with yours."

"Fudge is trying to railroad me on the underage magic charge. He's going to surprise me with a trial in front of the full Wizengamot."

Sirius visibly restrained himself from exploding, then shook his head. "Stupid idiot. Don't worry, Harry, we'll figure something out."

Harry looked at Arthur. "Were you able to get those documents?"

Arthur looked sharply at Harry, then nodded. "I thought there was something suspicious about Sirius asking for those documents out of the blue. It was your idea wasn't it?"

"More Hermione's," said Harry, to which both Arthur and Sirius chuckled. Harry looked pointedly at Arthur and said, "Well?"

"After he decided to confide in me about Fudge's plans, Percy asked if there was any way he could help. I asked him to get the copies since it wouldn't look as suspicious, and he did."

"Wait a minute," said Sirius, "I thought Percy thought Harry was dangerous and/or delusional? Why would he be helping?"

Harry nodded and asked, "Yeah, he's never been too keen on me. What's going on, Mr. Weasley?"

Arthur pulled out the folder with the documents. "He came to the realization that his conscience couldn't live with letting you get wrongfully convicted in an unfair trial. It's more complicated than that, but I'll let him tell you directly, if he wants to. Now, the only question is, what are we going to do about it?"

Sirius glanced at Harry, who had a pensive look on his face. After a second, Harry shook his head and Sirius nodded. "We're looking into options, but we don't want to say anything yet until we see what those documents say."

Harry held out his hand towards Arthur. "We really need to see what these say right away, it will tell us if we've missed any options."

Arthur glanced back and forth between the two, recognizing that there was something big being left unsaid. He hesitated, before Sirius spoke up.

"I'll make sure Harry abides by the same rules I said I would. We won't do anything stupid, and we won't jump the gun, okay?" Sirius looked at Harry, "Right pup?"

Harry nodded slowly, then looked at Arthur. "I can't promise things won't go totally pear-shaped, since that sort of thing usually just finds me. (Case in point)", the last muttered under his breath as he looked down. He looked back up at Arthur, "But I won't go looking for trouble, I promise." He held his hand back out.

Arthur nodded, and handed him the scrolls. "Okay, Harry, that's all I can ask for."

"Thanks, Mr. Weasley, we'll let you know if we find anything."

"Thanks again Arthur," said Sirius, "and please thank Percy for us as well, assuming you think it won't cause problems."

"You're welcome. I can't say I'm not uneasy about what you two might be planning, but I'm beginning to think that doing anything will be preferable to doing nothing at all. I just hope you'll talk to me about whatever you have planned before you do anything."

"No promises, Mr. Weasley," said Harry, "but I'll try." He and Sirius got up and left the room, leaving Arthur wondering exactly how badly this was going to blow up in his face.

* * *

Molly had called them for dinner shortly after Harry and Sirius had finished talking to Arthur, so it wasn't until after dinner that Harry, Sirius, Hermione and Ron were able to sit down and look at the documents. They sat in the library at a table, Hermione reading the Charter with Harry and Sirius on either side of her, while Ron looked like he was almost, but not quite, bored enough to go elsewhere. Only his desire to help Harry kept him present.

"The Wizarding Charter was originally ratified in 1613, and was amended and restated in 1689. It states that while the Wizarding world would be given its autonomy, it still had to respect the major pieces of English Muggle law. The stuff that these days would be considered part of the British Constitution." Hermione was scanning the document and summarizing it for everyone, much to Harry's amusement and Sirius's annoyance.

"So how does that help me? Us?" asked Sirius, almost growling as Hermione's head wagged left and right as she read.

Harry was more used to this, but echoed his godfather's question. "Yeah, Hermione, how does this help us?"

She held up a finger for them to wait a minute as she finished the document, then let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "I can't believe it!" she said, almost sounding scared. "Those idiots probably have no idea how much danger they're putting themselves in." She started to shake her head.

Ron had had enough. "Hermione!" He slapped the table to get her attention. "What the bloody hell are you talking about?"

"Language, Ron!", she snapped, then realized that the three of them were all looking at her in annoyed anticipation. She sighed, then nodded.

"The Wizarding charter requires them to uphold the British Constitution," she started, but was interrupted by Ron.

"You already said that!" said Ron, looking like he was ready to burst.

"Let me finish!" retorted Hermione, who then continued. "That includes The Magna Carta and the Habeas Corpus Act, both of which are relevant here. The Magna Carta says you can't be imprisoned without being found guilty at trial, and the Habeas Corpus Act says you can petition the court to determine if your imprisonment was lawful or not. We know Sirius didn't get a trial, so he was never found guilty. Even if he was still in Azkaban, the Habeas Corpus Act should have been enough to force them to give him a trial, yet nobody did. Now we just need to get the ministry to follow the rules."

"And why would they bother to do that?" asked Sirius, looking skeptical.

"Because if they don't, they risk having the Charter revoked." Sirius's eyes went wide with the implications. "It says that the Crown has the right to revoke the Wizarding Charter for gross violations of the rights of its subjects. I think this qualifies," she said, looking at both Sirius and Harry.

"There's only one problem," said Ron, looking more thoughtful than usual, "nobody in the Wizarding world is going to listen the a Muggle tell them the rules, queen or not."

The three of them stared at Ron for a moment, then they all sagged. Sirius was the first to say anything. "He's right, there's no way the purebloods would bow down to a Muggle, even if she were standing with the crown on her head right in front of them. It would take a Wizard or Witch on the throne to even get them to notice."

"How do we know she's not one?" asked Harry, trying not to sound desperate. "After all, the Royal family must have had some Wizards in it at some point for them to even know about the Wizarding world to grant the charter. I'm already up for violating the Statute of Secrecy, I might as well take a chance. Besides, I spent ten years in the Muggle world, so I'm as much her subject as the Minister's. Hermione, will you help me get it right? It's not every day I petition the queen..."

Hermione looked torn, then thoughtful, then went and grabbed one of the Muggle law books they had been going over before. After a few minutes searching, she made a noise and dragged the book over to her friends. "The Bill of Rights, passed in 1689, the same time the Wizarding Charter was amended and restated. It guarantees the right to petition the monarch without fear of retribution. It might be a stretch, but I think that might even cover you if you break the Statute of Secrecy by writing the queen. Okay, you've convinced me, I'll help you out, at least for now."

"Thanks, Hermione," said Harry, and they started discussing what to write.

* * *

Harry looked at the letter he had written, satisfied that it was as good as he was going to get given the limited amount of time he had to do this. He took out an envelope and addressed it, using the title Hermione had given him.

 _Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great  
Britain and Northern Ireland, and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the  
Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith_

He put the letter in, sealed it, and then called for Hedwig. "I know you're always careful, but I need you to be extra careful with this letter. I want you to give this only to the Queen, or to someone who is completely loyal to Her Majesty, and will give it to her no matter what. I also want you to stay and wait for a reply, unless they read the letter and tell you they won't be sending one. You're the only one I trust with this correspondence.

Hedwig hooted at Harry and nibbled on his ear, then held out her leg. Harry trusted her to do what was needed, and that was good enough for her. After one last affectionate nip, she took off out the window, headed for Buckingham Palace.


	4. In For a Knut, In For a Sovereign

_Originally Posted 10/2/15, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 4: In For a Knut, In For a Sovereign**

Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, was sitting in her private study going over the least glamorous of her duties as monarch: paperwork, and quite a bit of it. She had been away for a few days, and things tended to pile up in her absence. She didn't mind having to do it though, as it gave her an excuse to spend an hour alone without anyone but her dogs to keep her company. Besides, it was late, and while her husband had turned in for the night she wasn't quite ready to do so yet.

After having made it about halfway through the pile, mostly items that she had to sign off on for official purposes only, she noticed her dogs perk up. After a few seconds, they both warily headed over to one of the windows into the courtyard, where she realized she heard a gentle tapping sound. Seeing as her dogs weren't acting alarmed, but just curious, she got up to investigate. Halfway there, she realized that there was a bird tapping at the window. And not just any bird, but a large, beautiful snowy owl.

Confused for a moment as to why an owl would be knocking on her window, she suddenly realized what this must be. It had been years, nay decades, since anyone in the Wizarding world had tried to send her a letter directly by owl post, as the Wizarding world had retreated into itself even more after the war. She almost went to open the window to let the owl in, but thought better of it and went back to her desk. She pushed a button on her phone that she'd rarely had use for, then sat back and waited. Hearing the owl's knocking intensify, she looked over and said, "Just wait a minute, I'll let you in once my court Wizard arrives."

Shortly there was a knock on the door, and the Queen pushed a button to let them in. There were four of them, two dressed as Muggle attendants but with wands drawn, and two wearing tastefully concealed body armor with pistols at their hips, ready to be drawn. Seeing that there was no apparent immediate danger, the Wizards put away their wands and gave a courtly bow, while the bodyguards took flanking positions by the door.

"How may we assist Your Majesty?", asked the senior of the two Wizards.

The Queen motioned towards the window, where the owl could still clearly be seen, although the tapping had stopped. "It appears that one of our magical subjects has sent us an owl post. While we do not expect any danger from it, it would not do to be careless."

The Wizards nodded, and the younger one went to the window to open it. Once the window was open far enough, the owl flew in, ignoring the Wizard's outstretched arm and landing on the Queen's desk. Both Wizards instantly had their wands out, and the bodyguards drew their pistols, but they held their fire as the owl simply sat there with its leg out, waiting. The chief wizard looked at the Queen, "If I may, Your Majesty?"

The Queen nodded, and the Wizard approached the owl. She eyed him warily, then looked straight at the Queen, pulling her leg back.

"It appears that the letter is to be delivered directly to you, Your Majesty," said the Wizard. "Perhaps you can ask it to give it to me? I'd like to check it for spells before you handle it."

The Queen nodded, then looked at the owl. "Please give the letter to our Chief Wizard, and he will give it to us if there are no problems."

The owl looked between the Queen and the Wizard a few times, then held out her leg again. The Wizard cast a quick spell, then took the letter. After casting several more spells, he turned the envelope over in his hands and read the address. "Your Majesty," he said, "the only magic I detect on this is a magical signature, similar to that of your Royal Seal. It is also addressed to you with your full Title and Style, which is why the owl attempted to deliver it you personally. Shall I open it?"

"No, thank you," said the Queen, holding out her hand. "If the sender was so intent on our receiving it directly, then we should like to read it for ourselves."

The Chief Wizard nodded, and handed the Queen the envelope. She opened it carefully using a letter opener on her desk, and began to read it, glancing at the owl occasionally as she did so.

 _9th August, 1995_

 _Your Majesty,_

 _My name is Harry James Potter, and I am writing you as a loyal subject of the Crown living in the Wizarding world. I am writing to ask for your assistance, as both myself and my godfather, Sirius Orion Black, are subject to injustices by the Wizarding world in direct contravention of your laws. I don't know what, if anything, you know of the Wizarding world, but we are supposed to be subject to your core protections, as well as being considered your subjects. Unfortunately, those who currently rule the Wizarding world seem to have forgotten that fact, or possibly have chosen to ignore it._

 _For myself, I ask your assistance in receiving a fair and unbiased trial so that I can prove that the charge against me is false. I have been charged with performing underage magic (I'm fifteen, and the age of majority in the Wizarding world is seventeen) and violating the Statute of Secrecy, and while the former is true it was done only in self defense, which is permitted under the law. My hearing is scheduled for the morning of 12th August, and were it conducted in a fair and impartial manner, I have no doubt that the facts would speak for themselves and I would be found innocent of all charges. Unfortunately, because I have said some things publicly that the Ministry of Magic does not want to believe, they have decided to try me as an adult, and are further attempting to rig the trial by surprising me with that fact, something I only learned by accident. I do not know what you can do to assist me, but as long as I receive a fair trial I feel that I can refute these charges with the truth._

 _The situation with my godfather is more difficult, but in many ways is also simpler. Sirius Black was placed in Azkaban prison for twelve years having been charged, but neither tried nor convicted, as an accomplice in murdering my parents and having murdered another Wizard and several Muggles (non-magical people), all charges of which he is innocent. He managed to escape two years ago, supposedly to murder me, but it was later discovered that the Wizard he had supposedly murdered was still alive and had been the one to betray my parents instead. I personally witnessed said Wizard alive, but because of my age and unpopularity with the Ministry, my testimony was ignored, and my godfather was sentenced to die immediately. He managed to escape again, and has been living on the run ever since despite evidence that he is not guilty of any crimes._

 _After research on both Wizard and Muggle laws, we have determined that both his imprisonment and death sentence violate the still extant clause 29 of the Magna Carta, a document that is valid in both our worlds, and that the Habeas Corpus act also applies here. I ask that you either issue a Royal Pardon to my godfather, or that you issue a writ of Habeas Corpus and any other documents required to ensure that my godfather receives a fair trial. You may not be aware of it, but the Wizarding world has ways to ensure that a witness gives only truthful testimony, as well as being able to view someone else's memory from an objective standpoint. I would be willing to present myself to you and give both forms of testimony if you have the means of obtaining it._

 _I pray that Your Majesty sees fit to give aid, in whatever form, to your loyal subject, and I will do whatever I must to see justice done. My owl, Hedwig, will remain with you until you either give her a reply, or tell her that you will not be sending one. She is the only one I trust with this correspondence._

 _I have the_ _honour_ _to be, Madam, Your Majesty's humble and obedient servant,_

 _(signed) Harry James Potter_

The Queen finished reading the letter, folded it back up and thought for a moment. Then she looked at the Chief Wizard with her Royal Business face and asked, "Tell us about Harry James Potter, and then tell us about Sirius Orion Black."

The Chief Wizard paled at the mention of the latter's name, then steeled himself and nodded. "It all started fourteen years ago, on the 31st of October, 1981..."

* * *

It was nearly an hour later when the Queen was satisfied that she'd heard enough to make a preliminary decision. She had a feeling it wouldn't be popular with her court Wizards, but she was the Queen, and they weren't. "Thank you, we believe we've heard enough. Please take a letter to Sir Harry James Potter." She looked pointedly at the younger Wizard, as the Chief Wizard gasped.

"Your Majesty, the boy has no title," the elder Wizard protested, but the Queen raised a hand and he wisely stopped.

"While he does not have the title officially yet, he has clearly earned it by his actions, and we will see that he receives it when we speak to him. Now please take our letter to Harry James Potter."

The wizard pulled out scroll and quill, and began to take the Queen's dictation. By the time she was finished, both he and the Chief Wizard were pale.

* * *

Hedwig returned to Grimmauld Place very early in the morning, but Harry awoke the moment she tapped on his window. Once he let her in, he was relieved to see a response tied to her leg. He almost grabbed it from her, but his instincts told him to check it for spells first. Unfortunately he didn't know how to do that, but Sirius would. He told Hedwig to follow him, and went up to Sirius' room.

Sirius wasn't happy about being awoken, but when he saw Harry and Hedwig, he knew it was important. A quick scan showed that there was no magic on the letter other than a signature, so they took the scroll from Hedwig and read it together.

 _10th August, 1995_

 _Dear Mr. Potter,_

 _We are disturbed by the possible injustices that you have brought to our attention, and wish to determine the truth of the matter before taking any action. Please present yourself and this letter to the guard at the entrance to Buckingham Palace any time between the hours of 6pm and 10pm tomorrow, 11th August, and you shall be admitted._

 _If you are able to contact your godfather, Sirius Orion Black, and bring him with you, this letter will grant him Royal Asylum until such time as we determine what to do. We also guarantee that he will receive a fair and unbiased trial should one be necessary, though we do not make any promises as to the outcome._

 _If you are unable to come, please reply using your most beautiful and loyal owl._

 _(signed) Elizabeth R_

 _Harry Jame_ s _Potter_

"Tomorrow," breathed Harry. "That's the day before my trial. And how are we going to get us both to Buckingham Palace without the rest of the Order stopping us?" He was looking at Sirius with an expression of half hope, half desperation, knowing that this might be their only chance.

"I don't know, pup," Sirius replied, looking thoughtful, "but I do know we have to do it. The Queen has offered me asylum, and that should be enough to guarantee me a fair trial. And if the truth comes out, they can't possibly convict me. Now we just need to make that happen. Go get some sleep, and we'll talk about it some more in the morning. Maybe Remus can help us, and we need to know exactly what Fudge is planning on doing so we don't miss your trial. I'll talk to Arthur before he leaves and see if he can find that out. Don't tell anyone else about this until we talk again in the morning, okay?"

"Okay, Sirius, I'll keep it to myself. Not that I'd tell anyone other than Ron or Hermione right now anyway." Harry got up to go back to bed. "Goodnight Sirius," he said, and walked out the door.

Sirius settled back on the bed and looked at the letter from the Queen again. He didn't want to get too excited about it, but for the first time in years he felt like he really had a chance to be free again. Assuming he made it to the palace in the first place. If only he could get himself and Harry out of the house without being stopped. Noticing Hedwig perched asleep on the back of his chair, he realized there was one possible answer they'd overlooked. But he'd have to talk to Harry about it in the morning. It was late, and they weren't going anywhere tonight anyway.


	5. Family Ties

_Originally Posted 10/9/15, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 5: Family Ties**

Despite having been up for an hour in the middle of the night, Sirius was up early to make sure he caught Arthur before he left for the Ministry.

"Good Morning, Arthur, Molly," he said, sitting down to breakfast.

"You're up early," grumbled Molly, still annoyed at him for standing up to her. "I'll have to make some extra breakfast."

"Thanks," said Sirius. He didn't want to have to fight Molly any more than necessary, since he was certain she wouldn't approve of he and Harry leaving for the palace tomorrow. Trying to think of a way to placate her, he said, "I think we've just about finished going through things, Molly. Harry and Hermione should be able to help you out later this morning."

Molly looked only slightly mollified, but still put a plate in front of Sirius that would have fed any of her children except perhaps Ron.

Sirius dug in, making appreciative noises as he did so. After a minute, he added, "Let it never be said that anyone went hungry at Molly Weasley's table, or that anything she served was less than delicious!"

Molly knew he was probably saying that mostly to get back into her good graces, but she still acknowledged the compliment for what it was and smiled briefly at Sirius before returning to the kitchen.

Sirius took the opportunity to lean over towards Arthur and whisper at him. "Can you find out when and where Harry's trial will be? We need to know that before we can finalize our plans."

Arthur gave him a sharp glance as Sirius pulled back. Sirius shook his head, then added, "It has to be kept under wraps to work, but I promise we aren't taking any unnecessary risks, and very few necessary ones either."

Arthur frowned. "And what are those necessary ones?"

Sirius was prepared for this; coming up with the cover story was what had taken most of the time he stayed up after Harry went to bed. "Just sending a couple of owls to ensure that Harry has some help for the trial. Beyond that, we're just doing research and taking notes."

Arthur couldn't tell if Sirius was telling him the whole truth or not. He suspected the answer was no, but it rang true enough for him to just nod. "I'll see what I can find, and depending on what I find out I'll either tell you tonight or Floo home for lunch and tell you then."

"Thanks, Arthur," said Sirius as he stood up to leave the table. "I'm off to feed Buckbeak, and then I'll get started on finishing that research so Molly can have her helpers back."

Arthur stood as well, "And I'm off to the Ministry. Have a good day."

"You too," and they went their separate ways.

* * *

When Harry and Ron arrived for breakfast, Hermione and Ginny were already eating. After Molly put plates in front of the new arrivals, she started going over the days chores.

"We need to finish the drawing room today if possible, so we can move on to the rest of the house tomorrow. Harry, Hermione, Sirius told me that he wouldn't be needing you today, so you can help us with the rest of the house."

"He did?" asked Harry between bites. "I didn't realize he was done. I still need to go over a couple of things with him and Hermione, but I'll be happy to help when I'm done."

"Well, I really need your help with the housecleaning..." started Molly, but Harry cut her off.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Weasley, but this is something that has to be done before my hearing. Once we're finished I'm sure there will be plenty of time to clean the house."

Hermione looked uncomfortable with going against Mrs. Weasley's authority, but something about Harry's demeanor told her that he wasn't going to back down on this one. "How long do you think we need, Harry?" she asked, hoping that a specific timetable might help the situation.

"Hopefully no more than an hour or two, depending on what Sirius has to say," replied Harry.

Molly huffed. "I don't know what rubbish Sirius Black is filling your head with, but I'm sure you'll do better at your hearing without it!" she admonished. Something was going on, something even her husband wasn't telling her about, and she had had enough. "Just what are you planning, pulling in my husband behind my back?"

Harry froze, and Molly initially thought she'd won. Ginny and Hermione, on the other hand, recognized the look on his face. The one that spoke volumes about Harry's resolve. And Ron looked back and forth between Harry and his mother, clearly terrified of what was about to be unleashed.

"Mrs. Weasley," Harry intoned slowly, "what my godfather and I are doing is none of your business." He turned to look at her, his eyes boring into hers with an intensity she had never seen in them before. "You have been very kind to me these past few years, and I am grateful for the fact that you have made me an unofficial part of your family. But you are NOT my parent, nor my guardian, and while you are staying here for now this is not your house."

Molly gaped, uncharacteristically rendered speechless by Harry's stark assertion. Ginny and Hermione were also staring at Harry, though the latter seemed more concerned than surprised. Ron looked like he was trying to figure out the fastest way out of the line of fire, though he kept glancing at Harry wondering where this had come from.

"Sirius is my godfather," Harry continued, "who for various reasons was not able to act in that role for most of my life. But he is here now, and has taken me into his family unconditionally. I would appreciate if you wouldn't insult him, to my face or otherwise."

"But, Harry," Molly started, but his steel gaze made her stop. This wasn't one of her sons who she could cow into compliance. Perhaps it would have worked before, but not here, not now.

Harry stood up to leave. "Hermione, please come up to the library when you finish breakfast, I need to talk to you for a bit. Mrs. Weasley, thank you for breakfast. If I have time later I'll come help with the cleaning. Now, you'll have to excuse me," Harry turned and left, heading for the stairs.

All four people in the room stared at him as he left, different thoughts running through their heads. For Ron, and to a lesser extent Ginny, there was the fear at how their mother would treat them today as they worked. Ginny also wondered where this side of Harry came from, and why it made her stomach flutter. And Hermione worried about what this new, assertive Harry was going to do.

Molly was worrying about the same things as Hermione, but also what this meant for the future. She didn't know Dumbledore's plans, but she knew this wouldn't be a welcome change. Unfortunately she had no way of contacting him until he or someone else came to visit, as she was under strict orders not to use owls and couldn't leave the children alone. He would know what to do, and could make Harry see reason. Harry always listened to Dumbledore.

* * *

As Harry was storming off to the library to talk to Sirius, Arthur Weasley was sitting at his desk trying to figure out how to contact Percy without arousing any suspicion. After a moment, he spied the reports that Percy had sent with the documents the other day, and an idea came to him. Taking one of the charmed interoffice memo sheets, he wrote a quick note:

 _Percival,_

 _Thank you for reports the other day. They were very informative, if somewhat dry. Please remind me when and where the meeting is on Thursday._

 _Arthur Weasley, Misuse of Muggle Artifacts_

There, he thought, anyone seeing it would think it was just a cold business note between the publicly estranged Weasleys. He just hoped Percy understood the reasons for it, and didn't take offense, as he still thought that relationship could be repaired. Tapping the paper with his wand, it folded itself up into an airplane and flew off in search of its recipient.

* * *

Sirius could tell something was wrong the moment Harry entered the library. "Morning, pup," he said, not wanting to set Harry off if it was directed at him.

Harry sat down in one of the large comfy chairs with a thud, then let out a big sigh. "I love Mrs. Weasley, I really do, but I just know she's going to ruin everything!" He looked at Sirius, "She knows something's going on, and insisted she know what it was."

Sirius looked worried. "Did you tell her?"

"No, and I even told her off when she insisted you were filling my head with rubbish and that I shouldn't spend time with you. Did you really tell her you didn't need us today?"

"No," said Sirius slowly, thinking back on his conversation with Molly earlier. "I did say I thought we were almost done, and that you should be available later today, but I never said I didn't need you. Maybe she misunderstood."

Harry shook his head. "I'm sure if she did it was intentional, she clearly doesn't like me spending time with you. It's almost as though she's afraid of what I'll find out. You haven't been holding out on me, have you Padfoot?"

The use of his nickname told Sirius that Harry wasn't upset, just looking for reassurance. He got up and pulled Harry out of the chair and into a hug. "Not that I know of," he said, pulling back so that he could look Harry in the eye. "And I promise I won't hold anything back from you either. We're family, and we need to be able to trust each other."

Harry's eyes bored into Sirius almost as hard as they had Mrs. Weasley, but only for an instant. Then his face softened and he pulled his godfather back into a hug, knowing that he'd made the right decision. He didn't want to lose the Weasleys as his unofficial family, but if he was forced to make a choice, Mrs. Weasley wasn't going to be it.

Hermione walked in a moment later, but seeing Harry and Sirius hugging each other like their lives depended on it, she just went over to the table and sat down. As she started looking over the various notes they had made the previous night, she realized that maybe they did, given how furious Mrs. Weasley looked after Harry had left. She'd just spent enough time to finish her breakfast before leaving, knowing it was only a matter of time before the Weasley matriarch exploded.

After a moment Harry and Sirius parted, and noticed Hermione had arrived. Harry looked unsure of himself, but Sirius put his hand on his shoulder and said, "She's your friend, and she's here. There's nothing to worry about."

Harry wasn't convinced, but nodded. "Thanks for coming Hermione, I hope Mrs. Weasley wasn't too rough on you."

Hermione looked a little pained, and replied, "I left before she said anything. But I expect her to blow any minute now, and Ron and Ginny are still down there."

"I'll apologize to them later, but I don't dare go back down right now. I might not be allowed back up here," said Harry, looking worried. He then softly added, "I got a reply last night."

Hermione looked blank for a second, then startled, and finally excited. "You did?" she nearly shrieked, then got a hold of herself. "Can I see it?"

Harry looked at Sirius guiltily. Sirius was shaking his head, but the smile on his face told Harry that he wasn't too upset about it. "You might as well, the cat's out of the bag now."

Harry pulled the letter out and handed it to Hermione, who took it almost reverently and began to read. By the time she was finished, her eyebrows looked like they were trying to join the rest of her hair.

"Wow," she said a little breathlessly, "an audience with the Queen. Are you going to go?"

Harry gave Hermione a look. "We have to. This is the best chance for us to exonerate Sirius, and hopefully turn the tables on Fudge with my trial. I just don't know how we're going to do it."

"Use the tube," said Hermione as though it was obvious.

"But how do we get out of the house?" asked Harry. "You know they'll never let Sirius out, especially if he's taking me with him."

Hermione nodded at that, but before she could say anything Sirius spoke up.

"I think I know how to get away with it, but you'll have to write the Queen back and ask her for another favor," said Sirius.

"What kind of favor," asked Harry, sounding worried. Hermione mirrored his look.

"Right now she has asked us to present ourselves to her, but has not commanded us to do so. If she were to issue a Royal Summons, that might carry enough weight to get us out the door. I don't know about you, but I certainly wouldn't want to disobey a direct order from the Queen!" Sirius laughed at the last bit, though it was clearly a bit forced.

Harry nodded, then rubbed his chin. "I'm still not convinced that would get us out the door, especially if Dumbledore was here."

"True," replied Sirius, "which is why I want to bring Remus and the twins in on this, at least partially. If they can't create a diversion for us, then I don't know who can."

Both Harry and Hermione had to agree with that, and they quickly settled on a plan. Harry and Hermione would work on a letter to the Queen to send off with Hedwig, and Sirius would send a quick note to Remus, hopefully borrowing Ron's owl Pig. Since Sirius had given Pig to Ron, he didn't think it would be a problem.


	6. Opening Moves

_Originally Posted 10/16/15, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 6: Opening Moves**

Hedwig's return to Buckingham Palace was not unexpected, so the Queen had asked her to deliver any letters to her Chief Wizard to avoid extra questions. She still wouldn't let him take the letter though, at least not without the Queen's say-so. Thus it was late afternoon before she was able to fully deliver Harry's letter.

After ensuring that there were no spells on it, the Chief Wizard was again instructed to hand the letter directly to the Monarch, who read it first before handing it back to him.

 _10th August, 1995_

 _Your Majesty,_

 _Thank you very much for your most generous offer. My godfather and I would be pleased to take you up on it, but we have run into a minor difficulty. Because of my status as both a minor and a famous wizard, and my godfather's status as a wanted man, the people who are caring for us are unlikely to allow us to leave our current lodgings. As I stated before, many in the Wizarding world do not recognize the Crown for one reason or another, and Your Majesty's letter may not suffice to convince them of its veracity._

 _The one potential solution to this problem that we have come up with is if you were to issue a Royal Summons, with whatever magical backing you can provide. My godfather and I willingly submit to you for that purpose, provided the conditions offered in your letter also apply. Even those who knowingly oppose your rule should be loathe to go against a direct command. If you see fit to summon us to your attendance we will gladly comply, or if you see fit to use an alternative method we welcome that as well._

 _I thank you again for your willingness to assist us in our time of need, and see that justice is merely delayed and not denied._

 _I have the_ _honour_ _to be, Madam, Your Majesty's humble and obedient servant,_

 _(signed) Harry James Potter_

The Chief Wizard read the letter, reread it, and stood there blinking for a few seconds. The audacity of this teenager was incredible; here he was, telling the Queen what to do. He shook his head slowly.

"I'm sorry Your Majesty," he said, "not all Wizards are this presumptuous."

He hadn't finished the last word before the Queen began to laugh. "No, Charles, though from what I've overheard, most of them might well be. The boy may have pushed the boundaries, but given his situation I'm willing to let it go. Besides, if things are really as desperate as he says they are, he may be absolutely right."

Charles thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "I suppose you're right, Ma'am, how would you like to handle this?"

"If I were to issue a summons to them, could you ensure that others would allow them to follow it?" the Queen asked.

"Not exactly," the Wizard replied, "but I can make it clear that the summons is not to be ignored. It would have the effect of forcing those summoned to comply with it as well, but as they seem inclined to do so anyway I don't think they would object to it. Also, since they appear to be willing to accept that compulsion, it would be very difficult to stop them. Shall I issue the summons?"

The Queen nodded. "Please take a letter to go with it, and issue one summons to each of them. It would not do to have only one of them arrive." As the Wizard went to pull out pen and paper, there was a knock at the door. The Queen pushed a button and one of her stewards entered, saying, "Excuse me, Ma'am, the time."

The Queen looked at the clock, nodded, and turned back to her Chief Wizard. "We shall return after dinner to dictate the letter and sign the summonses."

"Of course, Your Majesty," said Charles, nodding politely. He hadn't missed the Queen shifting into business mode.

The Queen turned to leave, and her Chief Wizard immediately started drafting the summonses. It wouldn't do to make Her Majesty wait when she returned.

* * *

It was mid-morning by the time Harry and Hermione had finished the letter to the Queen and sent it off with Hedwig. They had debated waiting until nightfall before sending her to deliver it, but ultimately decided that the risk was worth it. After she had left, Harry and Hermione joined the Weasley children in cleaning the house, and Harry took advantage of that to get Ron's permission to use Pig. When Molly went off to start making lunch, Harry took a minute to let Sirius know, who then sent the note off to Remus. They weren't worried about it being intercepted, since all it said was, "Please come by after dinner. - Padfoot"

The rest of the day passed uneventfully, if you can call de-doxying the curtains and everything that went along with it uneventful. Lunch was strained, with Molly and Harry studiously avoiding each other, and Sirius wisely just grabbing something and heading back upstairs. But by the time dinner had come, Harry's hard work in the drawing room had at least settled Molly a bit. She still didn't like that he was up to something, but at least he was helping clean now where she could keep an eye on him. Dinner was still less boisterous than usual, but at least everyone made small talk with each other.

Remus's arrival as dinner was finishing perked up both camps, though for different reasons. Molly saw this as an opportunity to get a message to Dumbledore, not realizing that Harry and Sirius saw him as the means to pull off their escape the following afternoon. As it turned out, Molly got the first shot, as she insisted he sit down and eat something, and took the opportunity to corner him about Harry and Sirius.

"Remus," she asked, sitting with him while he ate, "do you know anything about what Harry and Sirius have been up to?"

"No," he replied. He knew that this was a dangerous line of questioning, but figured he didn't have a choice but to stay for it. "What do you mean?"

"Harry and Sirius have been holed up in the library for the past couple of days, supposedly looking for something to help with his hearing."

"So? That doesn't seem like a problem."

"But they've had Hermione with them, and I know Sirius asked Arthur something this morning as well. And when I asked what they were doing, not only did Harry refuse to tell me, but he even told me off this morning! I just know they're up to trouble."

"I don't know, Molly, I haven't been here since we brought Harry. Have you considered that maybe Harry and Sirius just wanted to spend time together?"

"But Hermione was with them too!" whined Molly, hoping to sway Remus to her side.

Remus's reaction wasn't what she expected. "Molly, it's a library," he laughed. "I'm surprised you got her out of there for meals! Look, I'll talk to them, but I won't make any promises."

Molly looked like she wanted to cry, but pulled herself together. "Thanks, Remus, can you do one more thing for me? Please ask Professor Dumbledore to come by tonight or tomorrow when he can, I'm hoping he can talk some sense into at least Harry. Sirius may be a lost cause."

Remus nodded, though inwardly he swore. "I don't know when he'll get it, but I'll send him a note," he said. " _But not before I find out the other side of things,_ " he thought to himself.

"Okay, thank you Remus. I'm just worried Sirius might convince Harry to do something he'll regret." She got up from the table and went to do the dishes, leaving Remus to finish his dinner in peace.

* * *

When Arthur had gotten home, he could tell Molly still wasn't happy, but at least she wasn't still simmering. He knew he wasn't going to get anywhere near Sirius, but Harry was probably fair game. As the children headed upstairs after dinner and Molly was feeding Remus, he pulled Harry aside and slipped a note into his hands.

"Here's what you asked for," he said. Harry glanced at the note, the nodded.

"Thanks," Harry replied. "Any trouble?"

Arthur shook his head. "No, but I don't think I can do any more without Molly losing it."

Harry smiled. "That's okay, I think we're all set now. And I'm sorry for putting you in a tough spot. Thanks for helping."

Arthur patted Harry on the shoulder, "You're welcome. I'd better go try and keep Molly from interrogating Remus too badly."

Harry nodded and they went their separate ways.

* * *

After he had eaten, Remus went upstairs to find Sirius and get his side of things. He wasn't surprised to find him holed up in his bedroom, not after the conversation with Molly. He knocked on the door, and Sirius beckoned him in.

"Thanks for coming, Moony," said Sirius.

"You're welcome," Remus replied, "now spill it. First you send me an owl when you aren't supposed to, and then Molly corners me over dinner wanting to know what's going on." Sirius looked concerned, but Remus waved him off. "I'm sure she's right that you're planning something, but I'll reserve judgment on it until I know what's up."

Sirius sighed. "Thanks," he said, "I'd better get Harry before we discuss this further." He left for a moment, and returned with Harry in tow.

Harry came up to Remus and said "Hi Moony," before pulling the startled werewolf into a tentative hug. Remus stiffened, stunned at Harry's display of affection, then relaxed and pulled the boy into an embrace of his own.

"What was that for?" Remus asked, as Harry let go and pulled away.

Harry looked a little embarrassed, studying his shoes for a moment before looking back up. "I don't know, honestly. I just saw you and felt like I should hug you. You're the closest thing I have to a real uncle, and I need all the family I can get. Especially since I've never really had any until Sirius and I talked after I got here."

Remus looked at Sirius, who just smiled and nodded. Looking back at Harry, he said, "You mean that, cub? You really want this broken-down werewolf as your uncle?"

Harry nodded, looking unsure of Remus' feelings. "I do, furry little problem and all."

Remus smiled, opening his arms again towards Harry. "I'd like that Harry, I'd like that a lot."

Harry's expression changed from uncertainty to happiness, as he hugged Remus again. " _How many times has he smiled like that,_ " Remus wondered to himself. " _Probably not often, and definitely not enough. We'll have to change that._ " Turning to Sirius, he added aloud, "You're a good man, Sirius Black, giving Harry something to smile about. Now let's get down to business, shall we?"

Sirius nodded, closing the door and setting up several privacy charms. "Okay, Remus, what we're about to tell you cannot leave this room until everything has been settled. I'm hoping you'll help us, but even if you won't I need your promise to not interfere."

"What kind of promise?" asked Remus, clearly worried about what was going on.

"Marauder's Honor," said Sirius, giving Remus the most serious look he'd seen since Sirius had escaped Azkaban.

Remus stared back at Sirius, gauging his friend's intentions. He saw nothing to indicate a prank, and Harry's look mirrored his godfathers. Nodding, Remus raised his wand. "I solemnly swear that nothing we discuss here will leave this room without your permission, and that I won't interfere with whatever you're planning, Marauder's Honor."

Sirius nodded, then said, "Thank you, Remus. Now have a seat so you don't fall over." Sirius' expression had changed from serious to mischievous in a blink of an eye, though Harry's hadn't. "I know this is going to sound like we're pulling a prank, and objectively it probably qualifies as a huge one, but we're also dead serious. Fudge is trying to railroad Harry on the Underage Magic charge, so we're going over his head."

"Over his head? But he's the Minister of Magic!" Remus blurted, before shaking his head. "Sorry, please continue."

Sirius pulled out a letter and handed it to Remus. "Yes, over his head. It was Hermione's idea, really, though Ron got the ball rolling. Harry petitioned the Queen for assistance."

Remus had just started opening the letter when Sirius mentioned the Queen. He promptly dropped it, staring open-mouthed at them. After a moment, he managed to stutter, "Y-you wr-wrote the Qu-Qu-Queen?!"

Harry nodded, "And she wrote back! That's what Sirius handed you. Go ahead and read it, then we'll discuss further."

Remus shook his head as though trying to clear it, then picked up the letter and started to read. As he read, his expression got more and more shocked, until he finished and stared at Harry again.

"You okay, Remus?" asked Harry.

Remus gulped, nodded, then looked at Sirius. "You're right, Padfoot, this has got to be not only the biggest prank ever, but the biggest possible prank ever. This is legit, isn't it?"

Sirius grinned, "Yup, and we're gonna go too. That's why I asked you to come, we need your help getting out of here."

Remus's expression changed slowly from wonder to concern. He looked back and forth between Harry and Sirius, noting with dread the identical grins on their faces. "Uh-oh," he said, "I know that look. What _exactly_ do you need?"

"Just a diversion, Moony," Sirius said, "we figure we're not just walking out of this house without a fight, so we need some help distracting Molly and anyone else who's here and likely to try and stop us. We figure between you and the twins, that should be enough."

"You're asking the twins for help? What do you need me for? And please tell me you haven't told them what's going on!"

"Not yet," said Harry. "We wanted to talk to you first. I figure I'll have to tell them at least some of what's going on, assuming they haven't been listening in on our work in the Library already. Please, Moony, this is important."

Remus sighed. "I know I'm going to regret this, but okay, I'm in. You realize that Molly is going to kill us all when she finds out what's going on? Heck, she may kill me sooner. I promised to ask Dumbledore to stop by and talk to you about whatever you're up to."

Harry and Sirius shared a panicked look. "When is he going to come?" asked Harry.

"She asked if he would come tonight or tomorrow, but I said I didn't know when I'd get the message to him. When were you planning on leaving?"

"I'm not sure," said Harry, "I was hoping we," he motioned at himself and Sirius, "could go shopping for some nicer clothes before heading for Buckingham, so I was thinking late afternoon. But we can't leave too early or Dumbledore will have too much time to look for us. And I don't know exactly when we need to be there."

"Well, the letter you got says between six and ten pm, so," Remus was cut off by Harry.

"Yes, well, that letter may be out of date. I wrote back and asked the Queen to summon us, so that it would be harder for anyone to prevent us from going. We're waiting for a response now."

Remus gaped at them. He had given orders to the Queen? Even as a request, that took some serious courage. A Gryffindor through and through, Harry was. "I have no idea what to say to that," he said, and they all looked at each other in silence for a minute.

He took a deep breath and was about to say something, but there was a tapping on the window. Looking out, Hedwig was back.


	7. An Offer They Can't Refuse

_Originally Posted 10/23/15, last revised 10/27/16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 7: An Offer They Can't Refuse  
**

Harry opened the window and Hedwig flew in, carrying three letters. After closing the window, Harry waved to Sirius and said, "If you'll do the honors?"

Sirius nodded, then waved his wand. After his eyes shot up, both Remus and Harry asked, "What?"

"I think she took you up on your offer, Harry," Sirius said. "There's a compulsion charm on two of these letters."

"What!" shouted Remus, and both Harry and Sirius shushed him to avoid attracting further attention. "What do you mean, 'she took him up on his offer'?"

Harry sighed. "I offered for the Queen to put a compulsion charm on a Royal Summons, so that we could use them to further getting out of here if needed." At Remus's shocked look, he continued, "I did state that we would only accept them under the terms of the initial audience offer. You said it wasn't on one of those letters?" he asked, looking at Sirius.

"Yeah," Sirius nodded, "that one," pointing to one of the three envelopes, "is just like the original letter."

Harry nodded, then took that one from Hedwig. "So, let's see what the queen has to say first, before we open the others." He opened the letter, then placed it on the bed for the three of them to read.

 _10th August, 1995_

 _Dear Mr. Potter,_

 _We are concerned about the issues you raised regarding your living conditions, and wish to ascertain the facts of the situation. Therefore we will grant our indulgence to your request, and have issued summonses to yourself and your godfather to ensure your attendance. We will be very disappointed if you do not attend. We look forward to meeting you tomorrow evening._

 _(signed) Elizabeth R_

 _Harry James Potter_

They all stared at the letter, none of them wanting to be the first to say something. Finally Harry let out a big sigh. "Oh boy."

Sirius grinned at him. "You said it, pup. Looks like we're all in now. I guess we better open those other letters and see what they say."

Harry reached out and took the remaining two letters from Hedwig. The moment he opened the first one, he felt the need to hand it to Sirius. After doing so, he opened the second, while Sirius opened the first. He then read his aloud, while Sirius just nodded indicating that his was the same.

 _10th August, 1995_

 _Harry James Potter, The Queen commands you to attend Her Majesty at Buckingham Palace at 6pm on Wednesday, the 11th of August, 1995. You are to present yourself, along with this Summons, at the_ _North-Centre_ _Gate no later than 5:30pm for entrance._

 _(signed) Elizabeth R_

 _Harry James Potter_

As Harry read his Summons, Remus looked on at Sirius's, noting the compulsion coming from it. He could tell that it was possible to fight it, but it would certainly make someone think twice about stopping them. He still didn't like it, but he could see why they'd done it. When Harry finished, he asked, "Okay, so what now?"

"Now we know when we need to get out of here, and therefore when we need the diversion. How long will it take us by tube to get to Buckingham from here?", asked Harry.

"An hour? Maybe a little more?" replied Remus, who was more familiar with the tube than Sirius. "The actual ride is pretty short, but you'll have to walk to King's Cross, figure out the correct line to take, and then walk from the station to the palace. I think you want to go to Green Park, but you should check the maps."

"Okay, so if we leave at four, we should be there in plenty of time. After the letter Her Majesty sent, I think we're better off showing up as we are, so we don't look like we're better off than we really are. Remus, can you try to arrive right at four tomorrow afternoon? We'll use your arrival to get us out the door. We just need to talk to the twins about distracting Molly and whoever else needs it."

Sirius looked confused. "How will his arrival get us out the door?"

"Simple," said Harry. "We'll use my invisibility cloak. He opens the door, walks in, and we walk out before he closes it. It'll be tight under there, but we only need to get on the doorstep before the door closes, and then we can take it off."

"What about the fact that Sirius's face was plastered around on the news 2 years ago?" asked Remus, "How will you prevent people from calling the police about him?"

Now it was Harry's turn to look worried. "I completely forgot about that. I don't know what..." Harry trailed off as he stroked his chin, clearly ruminating on something.

* * *

When Harry knocked on the door to the room where Hermione and Ginny were staying, it was already getting late, and he knew they'd probably be getting ready for bed. The call of, "Just a minute!" confirmed that, and when the door opened he could see that both Hermione and Ginny were in their pajamas.

"Hi Harry," said Hermione, "what's up?"

"I need a favor," replied Harry, "can you join me in the library for a few?"

Hermione looked at Ginny, who gave a little frown but nodded anyway. "I'll be back before you turn in, Ginny. Right, Harry?"

Harry nodded. "Shouldn't be more than ten minutes," he said, turning towards the library. Hermione followed him, closing the door as she did. When the got into the library, she reached out and poked him.

"You really should include her you know, she's not just a little kid anymore."

Seeing the stern look on Hermione's face, Harry couldn't help but laugh. Seeing the look darken, he held up his hands and said "I'm sorry, but your face looks exactly like what I would have expected Ginny to look like if she said that. And I know you're right, I just don't want to include any more people than I have to."

Hermione's face relaxed. "Fine, but you get to tell Ginny why she's not included!"

"Fair enough," said Harry resignedly. "For all I know, we'll need her help too, but I wanted to start with you." Hermione nodded, so Harry continued, "Sirius and I have been summoned by the Queen, and we have to get from here to Buckingham Palace without anyone recognizing him from the wanted posters from a couple years back."

Hermione's eyes went wide at the word "summoned," but she held her tongue as Harry continued.

"We're planning on sneaking out the door under my cloak when Remus comes over tomorrow afternoon, but after that he needs a disguise, and I can't think of anything other than Polyjuice. Do you think you can do something to make him look different enough that he shouldn't be recognized?"

"Hmm," said Hermione, rubbing her chin. "I assume you don't want to use magic?"

"Not if you can help it," said Remus. "It wouldn't do to have it wear off at the wrong time."

At Harry's nod, she started humming again before starting to talk to herself. "No time to brew Polyjuice, and I doubt there's any just hanging around. Padfoot? No, too many Muggles around to risk changing back, and they won't take a shaggy dog at the palace... Hair!" She snapped her fingers and looked at Sirius brightly. "We can change your hair!"

Sirius ran his fingers through his hair and looked at Hermione as though she had lost her mind. "And how will we do that?" he asked.

"Two ways," said Hermione. "First, if you can find a way to grow a fuller beard, that will mask some of your facial features. Second, change your hair color. Nobody will associate the notorious Sirius Black with bleached blond hair. You might even be able to do it with Magic, as long as it's permanent and not something you can cancel with a Finite."

"Okay," said Harry, "so we need a hair growth potion and a way to change hair color. It would probably be a good idea to change mine too, come to think of it. Is there a potion that will do that?"

"Yes, but there's no time to brew one between now and then," answered Sirius. "Same with the hair growth potion."

"Can they be purchased?" asked Hermione. "You could even use a Muggle product to bleach your hair, but I don't know if there's enough time to do that. Although, you couldn't change it back easily."

"That's a good point," said Harry, "I want to look like myself when I meet the Queen, as well as at my trial."

"I can pick up the potions in Diagon Alley," said Remus, "including a hair color reversal potion so you can change back. But it's too late to do that tonight, and I don't know how to get them to you before you need them tomorrow."

Harry sagged, and Sirius looked annoyed, but Hermione held up a finger and went, "Hmm..."

Remus looked at her with a raised eyebrow, and she waved him off while obviously thinking about something. After a minute, she nodded to herself and looked back at Remus. "Pick them up in the morning, enough for both Harry and Sirius. Then leave them on the front porch when you come in. Harry and Sirius can grab them on their way out the door and take them before they remove the cloak.

Harry and Sirius both lit up, and simultaneously said, "That's brilliant, Hermione!". They gave each other a look for a few seconds, then all four of them broke up laughing. After a minute, they pulled themselves together, and Harry nodded. "Now that that's settled, let's not give anyone any more reasons to suspect we're up to no good." The last was said with a smile, and everyone nodded before heading their separate ways.

"Thanks again, Hermione," said Harry as he walked her back to her room on his way to turn in. "I'll see you in the morning."

"What about Ginny?" Hermione asked quietly.

"Tell her I'll talk to her in the morning, and that you promised not to say anything more. I'm not sure what I'll tell her, but I'll think of something."

"Okay, Harry. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Hermione," said Harry as he walked away to his room.

* * *

The next morning when Harry got up, Ginny was waiting for him. She started to huff as he attempted to push past her, until he said, "At least let me go to the bathroom first, Ginny. Then we'll talk."

She was still standing there when he returned, and quietly growled, "Okay, Potter, spill it!"

Harry gave her a look, then grinned. "Okay, but you're gonna have to help." He beckoned her into his room, leaving the door open so that they could keep an ear out for Molly (and avoid any extra embarrassment of being caught alone behind a closed door).

Harry sat down on his bed, then motioned for Ginny to do the same. "Alright, if I tell you what's going on, you can't tell anyone about it until tomorrow. Hermione knows most of it, and Ron knows a lot, but that's because they were helping me with it. I only left you out because I wanted to keep it as quiet as possible, and that meant not telling anyone unless absolutely necessary."

Ginny looked somewhat mollified by that, then nodded. "Okay, I can see that, but I still don't like it."

"Fair enough. Now here's the very short form. Fudge is trying to railroad me by holding a full trial tomorrow instead of just a standard hearing. Sirius and I are going out this afternoon to visit with someone who can hopefully help me with my trial and his issues, and we need help with a diversion to get us out the door. Assuming all goes well, both he and I will be off the hook."

Ginny thought for a minute, then said, "You didn't say who you were meeting."

Harry mumbled something under his breath. Ginny poked him and gave him a look, which made Harry sigh and speak a little louder. "The Queen." Ginny's eyes grew wide. "We have an audience with the Queen," said Harry, keeping his voice down. "And it's a Royal Summons, so we have to go."

Ginny let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, then said, "Wow." After a minute she continued, "Okay, I'm in, what do you need?"

"Remus is coming over at four," said Harry. "When he comes in, Sirius and I will slip out under my cloak. What I need is for someone to distract your mum and anyone else who's here at the same time, so we can slip out unnoticed. I was going to ask Fred and George, but you got to me first." The last was said with a grin.

Ginny thought for a minute, then nodded. "I have a couple ideas. Can I involve the twins?"

Harry nodded. "Just try not to tell them anything about what's going on that you don't have to. I still want to keep it as quiet as possible."

"Don't worry, I have an idea that will keep the whole family busy, and won't have anything to do with you. Well, not much," she grinned.

"Do I want to know?" asked Harry.

Ginny grinned. "I'll just tell them that I've gotten over my crush on you, and that I'm thinking of seeing if Michael Corner wants to date!"

She gave Harry a quick kiss on the cheek and bounced out of his room, leaving him gobsmacked and wondering what had just happened. He eventually recovered and set off to get dressed, acknowledging to himself that it certainly would keep the Weasleys busy for quite some time. He just hoped his friends would accept his apologies for all the grief they were going to get from their mother.

* * *

The rest of the morning passed quickly, with Molly riding herd on the children making sure they stuck to their cleaning. Harry didn't get a chance to talk to Sirius about that afternoon's plans, but he did fill Hermione in on his conversation with Ginny, and he saw Ginny quietly talking to Ron and the twins, so he hoped everything would work out. He knew he'd have at least a few minutes during lunchtime when he could slip away from Molly to talk to Sirius, and that it was mostly a waiting game anyway. He just hated waiting.

Right before lunch, Harry managed to sneak away and confer with Sirius. Moony was coming at four, so Sirius would take Harry's cloak and hide in the sitting room near the front door about 10 minutes beforehand. Sirius would also bring copies of the Wizarding and Wizengamot Charters, in case they needed them when they met with the Queen.

Ginny had promised to make a scene a few minutes before Remus arrived that he could walk into. It wasn't a very complicated plan, but that suited Harry just fine. It just needed to be enough to get them out of the house and off to the palace.


	8. The Great Escape

_Originally Posted 10/30/15, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 8: The Great Escape**

Lunch was slightly strained, as Sirius decided to eat with everyone rather than just grabbing something and running back upstairs, but Molly tolerated him and he didn't antagonize her. After lunch, it was back to cleaning, with Molly supervising and occasionally giving instructions on what to clean next. Harry was concerned that he hadn't been able to talk to Ron about what was happening, but with Molly keeping a close watch on him it just wasn't possible. He just hoped that the distraction was enough when the time came.

Distracting Mrs. Weasley turned out to be easier than they had expected. At half past three, she got their attention from cleaning and announced, "I'm going downstairs to prepare tea and scones. Remus said that he and Professor Dumbledore would be coming over for tea this afternoon. I want you all to finish cleaning this room and then get cleaned up to be presentable." As the twins reached for their wands, she pointed at them and nearly shouted, "And no magic!"

The twins looked sheepish and nodded as Mrs. Weasley left to go down to the kitchen. Once she was gone, they all looked at each other, curious. The twins shrugged, then looked at Harry. "Did he say anything about coming for tea yesterday?"

"No, and more importantly, he said he wasn't going to talk to Dumbledore until after we left. This could be a problem."

"Not if it's a prank," said a voice from the doorway. They all turned to see Sirius standing there, a big grin on his face. I think this is Moony's way of helping us out. If Molly is down in the kitchen, she won't be watching us get ready. Let's get ourselves ready to go, while the others cover for you."

Harry looked at his friends. Ron looked a little uncertain, but nodded. "Go on mate, we'll manage without you."

"Bunking off on us, eh Harry?" said Fred. "No worries," he continued at Harry's sheepish look. "Besides, what mum doesn't know -"

Both twins pulled their wands, as George continued, "- won't hurt us." They turned and started cleaning the rest of the room, giving Harry and his friends a minute to say goodbye.

Harry looked at his two closest friends and smiled. "Thank you. I'm sorry for all the trouble this is going to cause..."

"You'll just have to make it up later," Ron interrupted. He stuck out his hand and grinned. "Good luck mate, it's been nice knowing you."

Harry shook Ron's hand and said, "You too, Ron."

He chuckled as he turned to Hermione, who pulled him into a hug. "I want to know all about it when this is over!" She took a step back, glancing at Ginny, then grabbed Ron's arm to give Ginny some privacy (and keep Ron from overreacting).

Ginny looked nervously at Harry, then pulled him into a hug of her own. "Good luck, Harry." She hugged him tighter, as if she didn't want to let him go.

Harry stiffened slightly, unsure what was going on, but he had to admit that he liked it when she hugged him. After a minute, he cleared his throat slightly. "Um, Ginny, we do have to go..."

She pulled back slightly and looked him in the eye. "I lied this morning." she whispered.

"Huh?" responded Harry, not understanding.

"I lied when I said I'd gotten over my crush," she said, as a blush spread across her face and down her neck. She kissed him on the cheek again, then turned and rushed to the other side of the room, busying herself with cleaning.

Harry blushed too, gently raising his hand to his cheek when she'd kissed him for the second time today. He then looked at Sirius, who had a knowing grin and an unasked question on his face.

"Come on, pup, let's go make some history." He grabbed Harry's hand and pulled the slightly shell-shocked teen out of the room, closing the door behind them. "First kiss, eh pup?"

Harry shook his head. "Nope," he grinned, "second one today!"

Now it was Sirius' turn to look gobsmacked, then laugh. "Good for you! Now let's get sorted. Meet me back here in five minutes and we'll hide in the sitting room until Remus arrives."

* * *

They met back on the landing and spent a few minutes figuring out how to get them both under the invisibility cloak, then sneaked down to wait for Remus. Under the cloak, Sirius put up a silencing ward, so they could talk without giving themselves away.

"I'm sorry, Harry," said Sirius.

"Huh," said Harry, who was suddenly confused and worried.

"There's something I should have told you sooner, but we just didn't have the time. I wasn't holding back on you, I just hadn't had a chance to tell you yet."

Harry turned to face Sirius. He searched his godfather's face carefully, but only saw honesty and a little remorse. "Okay, so tell me now," he said.

Sirius took a deep breath, then let it out slowly before leaning down and speaking quietly. "I want you to know that this wasn't part of my original plan when I agreed to go to the Queen, and by the time I realized it it was too late to do anything. And I'm not upset at you in the slightest, it's just something we'll have to live with if it happens."

"Sirius..." growled Harry, getting impatient.

Sirius raised a hand in acknowledgment, then continued. "If I'm right, we're going to bring down the Ministry."

Harry's eyes went wide, and he opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He closed it again, then tilted his head to the side, thinking. "The Charter," he finally said, and Sirius nodded, smiling.

"I knew you'd figure it out quickly. Yes, if Her Majesty wishes, she can take control back from the Ministry. I don't know that she will, but I have a feeling that she might. If that happens, there's going to be a lot of people unhappy about it, but I've come to the conclusion that it might just be the for the best."

Harry nodded slowly, clearly mulling it over in his head.

"You alright with this, pup?" asked Sirius, worry showing on his face.

Harry continued to think for another moment, then grinned. "Yeah, I am. In fact, I think I agree with you. Fudge and his cronies need a kick in the pants, and if this doesn't count I don't know what will. You said it before, let's go make some history."

* * *

Just before four, Mrs. Weasley came up from the kitchen, nearly causing Harry and Sirius to panic. Fortunately for them she continued upstairs to where the children were supposed to be cleaning, giving them a chance to get to the front door as Remus arrived.

As they brushed past him on the way out the door, Remus whispered, "Take the bag on the steps and get out of here, Dumbledore will be arriving shortly. There's a note in the bag explaining everything. Good luck!" He then turned to call quietly up the stairs as the door shut behind him. "Hello, anyone home?"

* * *

Harry and Sirius did panic this time, but took Remus's words to heart. Harry grabbed the bag from the porch, and Sirius wrapped an arm around him. "Hold on, pup, I'm going to Apparate us a couple times to make it harder to find us." Sirius gave Harry a second to prepare, then turned and Apparated them first to an alley around the corner from 12 Grimmauld Place, and then to the Apparition point at platform nine and three-quarters.

Platform nine and three-quarters was empty when they arrived, so they moved a bit away from the Apparition point just in case anyone else tried to show up.

"Let's drink the potions while under the cloak, then we can take it off and pretend we just Apparated in." Sirius held out his hand for the potions in Harry's bag.

Harry pulled out three vials and looked at them. He put one back in the bag, handed one to Sirius, and kept one for himself. "This one's for both of us, you can have all of that one. I don't need extra hair." He took a couple sips of the vial he kept, as Sirius gulped down his potion.

"Whoa, that feels weird," said Sirius, as his hair grew a few inches. "Um, that's actually rather uncomfortable," he half-whined a few seconds later..

"What?" asked Harry.

"It caused all my hair to grow," said Sirius. "Phew, at least it's done now."

"Yes," said Harry, "that's what it was supposed to do."

"No, Harry," said Sirius pointedly, "it grew ALL of my hair. Every single one." Sirius glanced down, and Harry blushed.

"Oh," he said sheepishly. "I didn't really need to know that."

"Just give me the other potion. By the way, you look good with lighter hair."

Harry gave Sirius the other potion, and chuckled as Sirius's hair and beard lightened to a nice golden blond. "Let's get out of here and into the Muggle side of things, it'll be harder to spot us there." Looking around to double-check that they were still alone, they pulled the cloak off and stuffed it in Harry's pack while walking towards the barrier.

Once on the other side, they found the signs towards the Underground station and headed towards it. As they walked, Harry realized they needed money to get on, and he didn't have any. "Do you have any money, Padfoot?" he asked.

"Um, no," said Sirius. "That's going to be a problem, isn't it." He scratched his new beard, thinking. "Wait, check the bag. Moony said there was a note in it, maybe there's money as well?"

Harry reached into the bag, pulling out several small pieces of paper. One was obviously a folded note, which he handed to Sirius, while the rest were five and ten pound notes. "Looks like Moony figured we'd forget about that part. What does the note say?"

"Yeah, that's part of it. I'll let you read it when I finish, but let's get the Tube before we're missed." He sped up his walking pace, and Harry hurried to keep up.

A few minutes later they were standing on the platform, waiting for the Tube with a couple hundred other people, looking just like every other traveler. A minute after that they were on the train, and Sirius handed Harry the note from Remus to read.

 _Padfoot,_

 _The potions you requested are in the bag, along with 35 pounds to get you where you're going. I'm guessing you forgot you'd need money, you can pay me back later._

 _More importantly, you need to move quickly. When I told Molly that I'd try to bring Dumbledore by for tea, I didn't expect her to tell Arthur, or for Arthur to run into Dumbledore at the Ministry today. I got an owl earlier from Dumbledore saying that he had a meeting until four, and would Floo over after it finished. I can only assume that he'll just miss you, so the further you can get before he arrives the better off you'll be. I'll try to stall him as long as I can, but you know the Professor isn't going to take this lightly._

 _Good luck,_

 _Moony_

"Well, now we know what happened," said Sirius as Harry folded the note back up. "The question is how will it affect us?"

"I say we get there right away, and hope they'll let us in early," replied Harry. "I doubt that even Dumbledore would try to get to us once we're inside."

Sirius nodded, leaning close so only Harry could hear him. "I agree. Next stop is ours, and then it's just a quick walk to the palace. Just keep your eyes peeled in case anyone is looking for us. If you do, get under the cloak and get to the Palace. I'll meet you there if I can, but if not I can get away easier than you."

Harry turned to Sirius, looking upset. "I'm not leaving you," he huffed. "We're in this together, all the way. Besides, you're the one with the kiss on sight order."

"The Order won't harm me, and I can Apparate. I'm not going to abandon you, but you need this today more than I do."

Harry tried to look upset, then deflated. "Okay, I get it. I don't like it, but I get it. Now let's go get there before either one of us has to go to plan B."

Sirius nodded, then stood as the train entered the station. He pulled Harry to his feet, giving him a one-armed hug as they moved towards the door. "Let's just get this done and we won't have to worry about it anymore, right?"

"Right," nodded Harry, as they exited the train. Looking at the signs, they followed the one pointing towards Buckingham Palace and their date with the Queen.

* * *

Back at headquarters, chaos reigned. When Remus arrived, Molly was upstairs yelling at the twins for using magic to clean the room, while Hermione and Ginny cleaned themselves up and Ron pretended to wait for Harry to get out of the bathroom. Upon hearing Molly from upstairs, Remus headed up, hoping that Harry's disappearance hadn't been noticed yet. As he entered the room, Molly stopped yelling and looked at Remus disappointedly.

"I thought Dumbledore was coming with you," she snapped.

"He sent me an owl that he had a meeting until four, and would come straight away when it was over. I expect he'll be here shortly."

Molly's face softened. "Oh, wonderful. Tea and scones are ready for you both." She turned to the twins. "I want you two to clean yourselves up, and have someone come down for scones for you children. I need to talk to Professor Dumbledore when he arrives."

"Yes, mother," the twins replied in unison, before Apparating out of the room.

"Those two are going to be the death of me!" Molly lamented, then turned to Remus. "Good to see you again, Remus. Come downstairs and we'll have our tea while we wait for the Professor."

"Sounds lovely, Molly." Remus followed her downstairs, still working on what he was going to say when she asked about his conversation with Sirius and Harry.

Molly made small talk while serving the tea and scones, stopping only to give Ginny and Hermione a plate of scones for the children and telling them to stay upstairs while the adults talked. She missed the smirk on Ginny's face as she turned to go upstairs, but Remus didn't. He saw that Hermione was giving him a worried look, and gave her a small smile and a wink to try and reassure her. He saw her visibly restrain her reaction, then raise an eyebrow before turning and following Ginny. As she was heading up the stairs, they heard the sound of the Floo, and Ginny telling Dumbledore that they were waiting for him in the kitchen.

Dumbledore came down a moment later, looking curious but not concerned. "Ah, Remus, Molly, good to see you. The scones smell delicious. Now tell me about this concern of yours..."

* * *

Hermione waited until she was upstairs before running to find the twins. "Quick, give me an Extendable Ear!"

"What do you -" one of the twins started.

Hermione grabbed the twin who had started speaking, Fred she thought, and practically growled in his face. "Extendable Ear! NOW! I need to know what Professor Lupin is telling Dumbledore."

The other twin reached into his pocket for something and handed it to her as the one she'd grabbed said, "Okay, okay, here you go."

"Thanks," said Hermione, as she bolted out the door to the stairway and lowered the Ear towards the kitchen door. She put the other end to her ear and listened, catching the conversation in progress.

"...'ve been spending an awful lot of time together, and I just know they're up to something!" said Molly. "What did he say when you talked to him last night?"

"I think you're overreacting, Molly." It was Lupin's voice, sounding calm as ever. "Harry's been worried about the upcoming hearing, and Sirius felt it was his responsibility as godfather to help him feel better. Plus, he saw it as a chance for some time to bond with his godson, as they haven't had a whole lot of time together. You know he loves that boy as if he were his own flesh and blood, and he's trying to make up for lost time.

"That's what I'm afraid of!" Molly again. "If Harry's gotten some crazy idea in his head then Sirius isn't going to stop him, he's going to help him! And we all know that boy gets into trouble even when he isn't looking for it."

"If I may," said Dumbledore, clearly trying to calm Molly down, "perhaps if I spoke to them myself? I'm sure there's nothing to worry about, but you can't be too careful these days. It may also be that your personal opinion of Sirius is affecting your judgment?"

"I don't - " Molly huffed, but Dumbledore cut her off.

"I'm not saying that you're entirely incorrect, Molly. Sirius is a prankster and in many ways still behaves like a child. But you may also be inclined to see the worst in him rather than the best, slanting your opinions against him." There was a noise of a chair sliding across the floor. "Come, let us..."

Hermione pulled the Extendable Ear up as fast as she could, then ran to find Ginny and Ron. They were upstairs with the twins, waiting for her to return, and she didn't disappoint them.

"Dumbledore's coming upstairs to talk to Harry and Sirius," she started, speaking quickly. "I don't know if I can do it myself, but I know Harry would want to stall as long as possible. Ron, go turn on the shower and make it look like he's in the bathroom, then come back. Fred or George, check Sirius's bedroom door. If it's unlocked, lock it and Apparate back out. Quick, before they get upstairs!"

Ron was already heading for the bathroom when one of the twins followed, saying he'd lock the bathroom too. The other twin headed upstairs to check Sirius's room, while Hermione and Ginny went into their room to wait for Dumbledore.

When they got into the room, Ginny sat down on the bed and looked at Hermione, who had followed her into the room they shared. "Do you think they'll be okay?" she asked.

Hermione thought for a second, then nodded. "At least I hope so. I'm worried we won't see him again if something does go wrong."

Ginny looked horrified, then blushed.

Hermione saw the blush and her face became inquisitive. "Alright, fess up!" she barked quietly.

Ginny's blush deepened, but her face took on a determined look. "I kissed him." Hermione's eyebrows shot up, but Ginny continued. "On the cheek, but I also admitted I'm not over my crush. I was just so worried that I wouldn't see him again, and it all just came out. But after I did it, I felt better. I just wish he'd kissed me back."

There was a gasp from the doorway, which caused Ginny and Hermione to look over and see Ron sticking his head through a just opened door, his face scowling. "You kissed Harry?!" he almost shouted, throwing the door open to reveal Dumbledore just coming up the stairs with Molly and Lupin behind her. "Since when are you two dating? I'll kill him!"

Ginny gasped, tears starting to well in her eyes as Hermione took on a look similar to Ron's, before he surprised them both by relaxing his face for just a second and winking at her. Ginny's face took on a shocked look; her mother, who had just reached the top of the stairs and could see her face now, took this to be in response to what she'd heard Ron say. In reality it was to the fact that Ron was just acting, something she hadn't expected him to do. Pulling herself together, she responded as she'd planned to if she'd had to create the distraction a little earlier.

"Don't you dare!" Ginny shouted, rising to her feet as Hermione moved to support her. "If you so much as look at Harry funny about this I'll Bat-Bogey you until you rip your own nose off! Get. OUT!" She drew her wand causing Ron to backpedal out of the room and Molly to shout, "Ginevra!"

Ginny grabbed the door, slammed it closed, and locked it. She sat back down and let out a long breath, which was mirrored by Hermione. "If nothing else, that should buy us a little time," she said, then had to fight back the laughter as Hermione first looked confused, then understood.

"I never knew he had it in him," Hermione added, looking at Ron a little differently. "It won't be a lot, but I doubt even Dumbledore would want to talk to you before you calmed down. Let's just hope that it's enough."

Ginny nodded, but didn't answer. They both sat there in silence waiting for the other shoe to drop.


	9. Where's Harry?

_Originally Posted 11/6/15, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 9:** **Where's Harry?**

Molly Weasley was a woman with a mission. Dumbledore may not have been convinced that Sirius and Harry were up to no good, but she certainly was, and she was going to do her best to prove it. As she walked up the stairs following the Professor, she couldn't help but think that it would have been better if he had stayed here as well. Then he would have seen what was happening rather than just hearing about it.

They had just about reached the top of the stairs when she heard Ron shout, "Since when are you two dating? I'll kill him!" She looked up just in time to see Ginny's shocked expression turn to anger.

"Don't you dare! If you so much as look at Harry funny I'll Bat-Bogey you until you rip your own nose off! Get. OUT!"

Molly shouted, "Ginevra!", but Ginny just shoved Ron out of the way and slammed the door closed, leaving Ron standing in the hallway. She started towards the door to her daughter's room, but Dumbledore put a hand on her shoulder and held her back.

"I think you should give her some time to calm down, don't you? Plus, I believe we may have found at least one of the reasons for Harry spending so much time with Sirius."

Molly looked at Dumbledore, confusion evident on her face. "What do you mean, Albus?"

"Ah, young love," he mused. "I believe that Harry may have been seeking advice from his Godfather about dating your daughter."

Molly looked surprised, then huffed, "Why would he need to do that? And there were plenty of other people here he could have talked to instead."

"Not really," interjected Lupin. "Except for Sirius and Hermione, everyone else here is related to Ginny. And while he certainly could have gotten some advice from Hermione, there are some things that teenage boys just can't talk to girls about."

Dumbledore nodded, but Molly didn't look convinced. "In any event," he said, "I said I would speak to Harry while I was here, and so I shall." He turned to Ron, who was standing in the hallway looking unhappy. "Where can I find Harry?"

Ron looked up at the Headmaster's question, a flash of confusion on his face before it passed. "I'm not sure," he said, "last I saw he was going to get himself cleaned up after working in the drawing room. I think he's in the shower."

"Please let him know that I'd like to speak to him when he's finished, will you?" asked Dumbledore. Ron nodded, and he turned to Lupin. "Let's see if Sirius is available while Harry is indisposed, shall we?" Not waiting for an answer this time, he headed upstairs towards Sirius's room.

Ron turned to go back to his room when his mother called out to him. "Ron, is Harry really dating Ginny?" she asked.

"I don't know, mum," he replied. "I just overheard her say something to Hermione about kissing him. I can't believe he didn't tell me!"

"You leave your sister alone!" huffed Molly. "You know how long she's had a crush on Harry, and he's such a nice boy. Now I don't want to hear another word about it from you, is that clear young man?"

"Yes, mum," said Ron, and he went into his room, shutting the door behind himself.

Molly just stood there, thinking about how wonderful it would be to have Harry become a real part of the family. She was startled from her reverie a couple minutes later when Dumbledore and Lupin came down the stairs, looking concerned.

"Well?" she asked.

"He didn't answer his door, and it's locked," replied Dumbledore. "Has Harry come out of the bathroom yet?"

"Not that I know of," said Molly. "Remus, can you please check?"

Remus nodded. "Sure," he said, and walked down the hall to the bathroom. Knocking on the door, he called out, "Harry, are you in there?" He heard the shower running, so he figured someone had to be in there, but he knew it wasn't going to be Harry. He was about to knock again when he heard the shower turn off. A moment later, he heard the door lock click and one of the twins stuck their head out the door.

"I'm sorry, did you say something?" asked the twin.

"I was looking for Harry, but you're obviously not him," replied Lupin.

"Nope, sorry," said the twin, and pulled his head back closing the door.

Lupin returned to Molly and Dumbledore, keeping his face studiously neutral. "That wasn't Harry in the bathroom, it was one of the twins. Have you checked his room?"

Dumbledore shook his head negatively, as he moved towards the room Harry shared with Ron. He knocked on the door and asked, "Harry, are you in there?"

A moment later Ron opened the door looking confused. "I told you he's not here, I thought he was in the bathroom."

Dumbledore's frown deepened, and he turned to Molly and Lupin. "He's not here either," he said. Molly started to open her mouth but Dumbledore held up a hand to stop her. "Yes, Molly, I'm beginning to believe you." Turning back to Ron, he gave his best Headmaster look and asked, "Are you sure you don't know where Harry is, Mister Weasley?"

Ron gulped, acting like any student at the wrong end of a teacher's glare, and said, "N-no, professor, I have no idea where Harry is."

Dumbledore continued to look at Ron for a moment before nodding his head. "I believe you, young man, but I think we both know he's not here, correct?"

Ron paled, then nodded.

Molly, upon hearing this, advanced on Ron and shouted, "Ronald Bilius Weasley! Just what is going on here!"

Ron cowered under his mother's advance, before Dumbledore put his arms between them and said, "Now, Molly, I don't believe that Ron knows anything more about where Harry is. I do, however, think it's time to speak to your daughter and Hermione." He stepped between them and continued on his way towards the girls' room.

Molly glared at Ron and grumbled, "This isn't over, young man!" before turning to follow the Professor. Lupin gave him a sympathetic look, before shrugging and following Molly.

When he reached the girls' room, Dumbledore knocked and said, "Miss Granger, Miss Weasley, may I speak to you please?"

* * *

Ginny and Hermione had been mostly quiet since slamming the door on Ron. They knew it was only a matter of time before Harry's disappearance was noticed, and that when it was they would be interrogated by Dumbledore and/or Mrs. Weasley. They were just starting to fidget when they heard Mrs. Weasley shout Ron's full name, and knew the game was probably up. They looked at each other nervously, then nodded just as there was a knock at the door.

"Miss Granger, Miss Weasley, may I speak to you please?" came Dumbledore's voice through the door.

Hermione got up to answer the door, leaving Ginny to put on an upset face to go with the earlier incident. "Yes, Professor?" asked Hermione, opening the door.

"Ah, Miss Granger. Do you happen to know where we might find Mister Potter?"

Hermione Granger had an authority problem. Not that she disliked it, but rather the opposite. She generally followed the rules, and looked up to people in authority. Especially Professor Dumbledore. So she knew she couldn't lie to him, at least not convincingly. However, that didn't mean she had to volunteer anything she wasn't asked directly, and she had been carefully considering how to answer any question that he might ask her while she was waiting for them to notice that Harry was missing.

Thus it was with a completely straight face and a steady voice that she answered, "No, Professor, I have no idea where Harry is. The last time I saw him was when he left the drawing room to get cleaned up."

Dumbledore eyed her closely, then said, "Hmm..." He held her gaze for another moment before looking at Ginny and saying, "And what about you, Miss Weasley. Do you know where Harry is?"

Ginny tried not to gulp as the Headmaster's gaze bored into her, then shook her head. "No, sir, I don't." She didn't trust herself to say anything more, and looked away meekly.

Dumbledore's eyes narrowed, and then he looked back at Hermione. He was just about to ask her something else when there was a crash from downstairs, followed by Mrs. Black screaming and a voice shouting, "I'm okay," followed by, "shut up you old hag!"

Remus said, "I'll see who it is," and ran down the stairs, stopping to pull the curtain closed on Mrs. Black to get her to stop screaming. He returned a moment later, followed by a sheepish looking Tonks.

"Ah, Miss Tonks, what brings you here?" asked Dumbledore, torn between continuing the investigation into Harry's whereabouts and finding out why Tonks had made an unscheduled appearance.

"I was sent home early to get some rest before night shift duty, so I though I'd stop by and see if everything was alright."

Dumbledore frowned. "Unfortunately, it isn't," he replied. "It appears that Harry has disappeared, and I'm beginning to suspect that Sirius may have done so as well." Hermione couldn't help but wince at that statement, drawing Dumbledore's attention back to her. "I see my suspicions are correct, Miss Granger. Since you don't know where they are right now, perhaps you can tell me where they might be?"

Hermione tried to not answer, but between the looks she was getting from Dumbledore, Mrs. Weasley, and Tonks, she just couldn't hold out. She sighed, then answered quietly. "Buckingham," she said.

Molly looked confused, while Tonks just raised an eyebrow. Dumbledore, on the other hand, just stared at her with a piercing glare that said, "tell me more. NOW."

Hermione withered under the glare, and continued. "They've gone to Buckingham Palace. To see the Queen."

This time the reaction wasn't muted, with all of the adults except Lupin exclaiming some variation on "They what?"

Molly was the first one to find her voice. "Why ever would they do that?" she exclaimed.

"That's a good question, Molly," said Dumbledore, never taking his eyes off of Hermione. "Can you enlighten us, Miss Granger?"

Hermione gulped, then sighed. She knew that Harry knew this was going to come out, she just hoped that he would forgive her for being the one to tell them. "They petitioned the Queen for help with their trials. Harry because he thinks Fudge is trying to railroad him, and Sirius because he never got one in the first place."

"But the Statute of Secrecy..." started Molly, as Tonks gasped.

"Does not apply," answered Hermione, feeling more at home talking about the things that she had researched with Harry. "All British subjects have the right to petition the monarch without fear of reprisal, according to the Bill of Rights which came into effect in 1689 at the same time that the current Wizarding Charter went into effect." Dumbledore started to interrupt her, but she was in her element now and just kept going. "That document, along with the Magna Carta, was accepted as part of the Wizarding Charter and supersedes any Wizarding laws that run contrary to it, as part of the Crown's grant of autonomy to the Wizarding world."

Dumbledore just stared, wondering how she knew all of this. Tonks on the other hand blew out a long breath, and said, "Hoo boy." When the others looked at her, she said, "I don't know if that excuse will work, but I doubt the Queen would take it lightly."

"But she's a Muggle!" said Molly, looking confused.

"She's also still the Queen. Look, let me go see if I can find them and bring them back here so we can find out what's really going on, okay?"

"Very well, Nymphadora," said Dumbledore.

"It's Tonks," she growled, but he ignored her and continued.

"Please try to find them and bring them back. If you can't find them within an hour, please let us know. I will attempt to find some other help in the meantime." Dumbledore turned to look at Hermione and Ginny while Tonks ran down the stairs to head out. "I'm sorry to hear that Harry felt that he had to look elsewhere for assistance. We shall discuss this later when he has returned." He then headed downstairs himself, presumably to muster additional help.

"Ginevra Molly Weasley, you should be ashamed of yourself! Letting Harry leave the safety of this house when You-Know-Who is out there! You'll remain in your room until your father gets home, and then we will be discussing this young lady." Molly turned to Hermione. "And you! You of all people should know better! I want you to stay here as well until..."

Hermione started to protest, but Lupin beat her to it. "Now Molly," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You're not her mother, and I'm not sure she appreciates you trying to ground her like you can with your own children. I'll tell you what. I'll talk to her and make sure she stays out of trouble until Tonks returns, okay?"

Molly didn't look happy, but she nodded and stomped down the stairs, grumbling to herself. Lupin looked at Ginny and said, "I'm sorry, Ginny, but you'll have to stay in your room for now. Hermione, please come with me." He then turned, and headed towards the library, not waiting for her.

Hermione gave Ginny an apologetic look. Ginny gave a small shrug and waved her off, making shooing motions at her before turning back into the room and sitting on the bed. Hermione looked at her one more time, then turned to follow Lupin to the library.

* * *

When she got downstairs, Molly found Dumbledore pulling his head out of the Floo and rushed to help him stand up.

"I just called Arthur and asked him to come home," he said. "You said he knew something about this, perhaps he can shed some light on what's going on."

Molly frowned. "I tried to get him to tell me what they wanted, but all he said was they needed some documents to research for the upcoming hearing."

"Do you know what they were?" asked Dumbledore, but before she could answer the Floo turned green and Arthur stepped out, brushing the soot off as he did.

"Albus, Molly," he said, "What's going on. You said there was some trouble?"

"Sirius took Harry and they've gone missing!" said Molly, nearly shouting.

At Arthur's surprised look, Dumbledore stepped in and said, "Now Molly, we don't know that Sirius took Harry anywhere. It's very possible that Harry took Sirius, or that they simply left together."

Molly didn't look happy, but she nodded her acquiescence.

"Now, Arthur," Dumbledore continued, "can you tell us what it was that Sirius and Harry asked you to do? And do you know why they might have left?"

Arthur nodded, thinking back on his conversations with Sirius and Harry, as well as Percy. "They wanted copies of the Wizarding and Wizengamot Charters, to research Harry's defense. He didn't trust Fudge to give him a fair hearing, and he was right." He looked at Dumbledore, who looked back curiously. "The other day Percy told me that Fudge was changing it from a hearing in front of the DMLE to a trial in front of the full Wizengamot. He also told me that Fudge wasn't going to send out the notice of the change until the last minute, so Harry wouldn't have time to prepare."

Dumbledore's expression had darkened as Arthur explained about Fudge's plan, and when he spoke the anger was clear in his voice. "That fool is trying to doom us all! Does he have any idea what he's done?" He pulled himself together some, his expression softening a little to something less than murderous. "That explains why Harry went to the Queen."

Arthur gasped. "The Queen! But she could..."

"Yes, Arthur, she could, especially if Harry or Sirius explain it to her. Let's hope that Nymphadora can find them and bring them back before things go too far to stop."

Molly looked confused. "But what could the Queen do?" she asked.

As Dumbledore explained exactly what the Queen could do, Molly felt herself get paler and paler. This wasn't just a problem, this was a disaster!

* * *

When Harry and Sirius emerged from the Tube, they found themselves just outside a large park. After confirming the direction of the palace with a passerby, they entered the park and walked quickly towards their destination. They tried to keep their eyes out for trouble, but it was a beautiful day and the park was full of people enjoying the late afternoon sunshine, making it hard to spot any possible trouble. On the other hand, it also worked in their favor, with the crowd making it harder for them to be spotted as well.

"So," asked Harry, "do you know where the North-Centre gate is?"

"Nope," replied Sirius, "but I expect it should be pretty obvious. If we need to we'll just ask someone when we get there."

Harry nodded, and they continued on in silence.

As they moved through the park, both Harry and Sirius were unknowingly thinking the same thing: " _I really hope this works..._ "


	10. Buckingham Palace

_Originally Posted 11/13/15, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 10: Buckingham Palace  
**

Nymphadora Tonks knew it was a long-shot, but she had to try and find Harry and Sirius before they reached the palace. Having grown up with a Muggleborn father, she she had heard more about the Queen than most of the people in the Wizarding world even before joining the Aurors. After joining up, she had learned more, especially about how Wizarding law worked and that there were still some rules that were governed by the Queen rather than the Ministry. Not that most of the Ministry cared about that, since the Queen was officially supposed to stay out of the Ministry's business.

But Tonks was a curious witch, and she had looked into some of the rules and laws that separated the Wizarding world from the Muggle one, and had found a few things that worried her. Most important was that there were certain Muggle laws that the Wizarding world was supposed to enforce, and she knew that wasn't happening consistently, if at all.

She had Apparated to an alley near the palace, having been there several times before with her father. From there she headed towards the palace gates, hoping to spot Harry or Sirius in the crowd before they got there. She had transfigured her clothes before Apparating so she wouldn't stand out as badly, but she still drew some curious looks as she ran towards the crowds gathered outside the palace.

* * *

Harry and Sirius had reached the circle outside Buckingham Palace fairly easily, and were now attempting to figure out exactly where to go. They had just decided to head for the nearest gate and ask someone when they heard someone call out, "Harry! Wait!"

Turing towards the voice, they saw Tonks running towards them with a concerned look on her face.

"Harry, go!" said Sirius, "I'll hold her off until you're safe."

Harry shook his head. "We're close enough, Sirius, I'm not leaving you."

Sirius had just enough time to give Harry an exasperated look before Tonks ran up to them. He held one arm down, ready to draw his wand, but didn't seeing as they were in plain view and Tonks didn't have hers drawn either.

"Harry, Sirius," she said, catching her breath. "What in Merlin's name is going on?"

"How did you know it was me?" asked Harry, annoyed that his disguise hadn't been worth much.

Tonks gave him a look, then said quietly, "I'm a Metamorphmagus," as though that answered everything. When he just glared at her, she continued, "I have to know exactly what people look like if I want to imitate them. Something like a different hair color doesn't change the rest."

"Okay, I can see that," Harry replied. "Now what do you want?"

"Dumbledore sent me to find out why you left headquarters and bring you back," she said. " _If I can,_ " she added silently, thinking that there wasn't much of a chance that they'd return if they didn't want to.

Harry and Sirius looked at each other, then Harry shrugged. "We're going to see the Queen," said Sirius. "But you obviously knew that," he continued, as Tonks gave him a dirty look.

"Seriously," she said, giving Sirius a look as he literally bit his tongue, "why are you going to see the Queen? Don't you know how much trouble this could cause." She glared at Sirius, and then Harry. "Dumbledore is furious, and Mrs. Weasley looked like she was going to explode!"

"Don't blame me," said Harry as he glared back at her. "I'm not the one trying to railroad a teenager just to keep him for pointing out that things aren't all hunky-dory." He lowered his voice and added, "Not to mention that there's a sadistic madman out there who's back and likely to start another war."

Tonks took a half step back from the intensity of Harry's gaze, then looked at Sirius who was now chuckling at her reaction. "Can't you be serious for just this once, cousin? You know full well what the Queen can do if she decides to!"

Harry looked annoyed at Tonks' question, but Sirius put a hand on his shoulder and stalled any comment he might have had. Sirius stopped laughing and gave Tonks a look that she had only seen a few times before on her cousin's face. "I have never been more serious in my life," he said, nodding at Harry. "The Ministry is corrupt and incompetent, and right now they're out to hurt my godson. Even if I didn't take exception to their actions towards myself, I would do anything to protect him. Whatever happens, my conscience is clean."

Tonks stared at Sirius in shock, while Harry's look hardened. Motioning back towards the Palace, Sirius said, "Come on Harry, let's go. We don't want to be late."

"What do you mean, be late?" asked Tonks, reaching out to prevent them from leaving.

Harry's face softened and he smiled, realizing that Tonks at least didn't know the whole story. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the summons, unfolded it and showed Tonks. "We've been summoned to an audience with Her Majesty," he said, sharing a grin with Sirius.

Tonks looked at the summons, immediately feeling the compulsion charm on it, her eyes going wide as she realized what it meant. Looking at first Harry, then Sirius - who had pulled out his own summons - her mouth flapped a few times before she found her voice. "She summoned you?" Looking around and lowering her voice, she continued, "And there's a compulsion charm on it! How?"

"I don't know," said Harry as Sirius shrugged. "I suggested she add them to the summons just in case someone tried to stop us. I figured it would have been Mrs. Weasley or Dumbledore, but you'll do. Give our regards to the Order, would you? We really should be going."

Tonks looked back and forth between them a couple times, then sagged. "I just hope you know what you're doing, and that we all survive it." Straightening up, she extended a hand. "Good luck, and for what it's worth, I hope this works the way you want it to. I'll explain to Dumbledore why I couldn't stop you, and that he should probably be prepared for anything."

Sirius nodded and shook her hand. "Thank you Nymphadora," grinning as she winced at her first name. "Assuming I come out of this in one piece I would be happy to welcome you and your mother back into the family. Come, Harry," he said, ignoring the surprised look on her face, and the two of them set off to the nearest pedestrian crossing.

Tonks shook here head to clear it, wondering if Sirius realized exactly what he had just offered her, then watched them cross the road wondering if any of them would survive to take him up on his offer. She continued to watch them as they approached the castle gate, waiting until they were taken inside to the amazement of the tourists, before heading for the nearest alley she could Apparate out of. She had to warn Dumbledore so he could try and keep things from blowing up too much.

* * *

As Harry and Sirius approached the palace, they could see that the closest gate was open, though there was a barrier to prevent motor vehicles from entering. They weren't sure if this was the correct gate, but figured this was as good as any, especially since there were guards who would probably know what to do. The both pulled out their summonses, conferred briefly, and decided that Harry would be the one to initiate contact. After all, Sirius was still technically a wanted man, and they didn't want his name being read or seen before they knew if they were in the right place or not.

They moved through the crowd deliberately, but not rushing, and approached the open gate. As they stepped forward, two policemen stepped forward to challenge them. "I'm sorry, you need to stay back and clear the gate road," one of them said as the other moved into a clearly protective position.

Harry held his hands up at chest level, one open and empty, the other holding his summons. "I know this is going to sound crazy, but we've been invited to see the Queen," he said.

The first policeman looked disbelieving, while the second one unbuckled his weapon though he didn't draw it.

"I've got a summons," Harry said, slowly extending the hand with the paper in it, not knowing what else to do.

"Me too," said Sirius, slowly extending his own hand with the summons in it while keeping the other still and in plain sight.

The two policemen looked at each other, then the second one nodded. "Take a look," he said, not taking his eyes off of the two potential threats.

The first policeman took a couple steps forward to where he could see the paper in Harry's hand. His expression became a bit more intent as the compulsion charm took effect, before his eyes went wide as he recognized Her Majesty's signature and seal. "He's right," said the policeman, sounding incredulous, "he does have an invitation."

The second policeman looked disbelieving, then reached for his radio to call for backup. This was definitely above his pay grade.

* * *

Harry and Sirius had been escorted to the other side of the guard house where they had been asked to stand with their hands on their heads while things were sorted out. Harry thought this was a bit much, especially since there was now quite the crowd watching them through the fence, but at least the guards were polite about it.

Shortly after the second one had gotten off the radio, two black Land Rovers drove out from the interior of the castle, and slowly approached the guardhouse. When they pulled up a total of a half dozen people dressed in army uniforms got out and came over to where Harry and Sirius were waiting, still guarded by the first policeman.

"Right," said one of them, "what have we got here?"

"They claim to have an audience with the Queen," said the policeman, "and they appear to have valid summonses."

Harry wiggled his hand, which was holding the summons over his head. "Can I put my hands down yet?" he asked. "My arms are getting a bit tired."

Two of the other soldiers went over to Harry and Sirius and took their summonses, handing them to the first one who appeared to be in charge.

"Hmph," he said. "Well, these do appear to be genuine. Search them and then they can put their arms down." He turned and walked over to the first Land Rover while the two soldiers who had collected their summonses came back.

"Don't move," said one of the soldiers gruffly. Harry gulped, and nodded very slightly, making sure to stand very still while he was patted down. Next to him Sirius stiffened, but did as he was told as well.

"What's in the backpack?" the soldier asked, after he had checked Harry and found nothing he seemed concerned about.

"Just a change of clothes, some documents, and a couple of drinks," answered Sirius. At the sharp look from the soldier who had asked Harry the question, Sirius said, "I packed it, he gets to carry it." He gave a little grin at the end, but decided not to push it.

The soldier who had been checking Sirius said to his comrade, "He's clean." Turning back to Sirius, he said, "Please wait over by the second Land Rover and follow their instructions." He pointed to the two soldiers standing by the vehicle in question, then nodded to them.

Sirius slowly walked towards the Land Rover while the soldier who had been checking him turned to Harry. "I'm going to check your backpack. Please don't do anything we'll regret."

"N-no sir," Harry stuttered, then looked back at the soldier who had been checking him. He heard the backpack's zipper, then felt the contents carefully being examined. After a moment he heard the zipper close again, and saw the soldier watching him relax slightly.

"It's clean too," said the solder who had examined the contents. "Please come with me."

Harry was led over to the first Land Rover and around to the far side, where he saw Sirius standing at the back corner of the other one. He was just about to ask what was going on when he felt a wand in the middle of his back.

"Please hand over your wand, Mister Potter. While you don't appear to have ill intentions, it wouldn't do to take unnecessary chances with Her Majesty's safety."

Harry stiffened at the request, then nodded. He slowly extended his arm towards the ground, and felt the wand fall into his hand. He turned it around in his fingers so he was holding the tip, then held it up to be taken.

He looked up and saw Sirius looking at him with a worried, almost panicked look on his face, as his wand was removed from his hand. He could see Sirius's wand in the hand of one of the other soldiers, though neither of them appeared to be threatening his godfather.

"You okay?" Sirius mouthed, clearly too worried to speak out loud.

Harry nodded, and gave a thumbs up. He saw Sirius relax slightly, and did so himself, as the leader of the soldiers came over to him.

"I'm sorry for the rough treatment, but this isn't something that happens everyday. Everything checks out, so please get in the landy and we'll get you somewhere more private." Seeing Harry's look towards Sirius, he added, "Don't worry, he'll be joining you shortly." As he said it the door to the other Land Rover was opened, and Sirius was pointed inside.

Harry and Sirius shared another look, then Sirius shrugged, and said, "I'll see you inside, alright?"

Harry still wasn't sure about this, but he didn't have much choice in the matter either. "Alright," he said, as Sirius started climbing into the Land Rover. The door in front of him was opened as well, and he climbed in himself, followed by one of the soldiers who closed the door. The Land Rover started forwards almost immediately, turning around and heading back inside the palace.

* * *

When Sirius had arrived at the Land Rover, he had been motioned to go over to the other side. He did so only reluctantly, as it would mean losing sight of Harry, but he didn't have much choice. As soon as he was out of sight of the crowd, he felt a hard object pressed to his side. They'd then taken his wand, much to his dismay, and quickly searched him again just in case. He saw Harry go around to the other Land Rover, and then surrender his own wand. Sirius knew they were committed when they got the summonses, but it finally hit home just how much trust they had placed in the Queen, and just how badly this could go. He couldn't fault them for being careful, and they were being very professional, but it was still unnerving.

Seeing Harry look at him with his own worried face, he mouthed, "You okay?" Harry gave him a thumbs up, which made Sirius relax slightly. After another moment the door to the Land Rover was opened in front of him, and one of the soldiers said, "In you go."

Sirius looked at the soldier, but his face was unreadable. He looked back at Harry and said, "I'll see you inside, alright?"

Harry's face was still worried, but he answered, "Alright," as Sirius started into the back of the Land Rover. Sirius saw Harry start to climb into the other Land Rover, before he had to pay attention to getting in himself. Once the soldier behind him climbed in and closed the door, the Land Rover started moving, heading back into the palace.

The soldier in the front passenger seat turned around and spoke to Sirius. "Sirius Black, by order of Her Majesty The Queen, you are under arrest on suspicion of murder in the deaths of James and Lily Potter."


	11. Sirius Questions

_Originally Posted 11/23/15, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 11: Sirius Questions  
**

When Tonks returned to Grimmauld Place, the house was in chaos. Dumbledore was conferring with Lupin and Mad-Eye Moody, while the three of them were doing their best to ignore the screams coming from Mrs. Black's portrait. Mrs. Weasley could be heard shouting at one or more of her children, at least two of whom were shouting as well. Tonks tried to get somebody's attention, but with all the noise it was proving to be impossible.

She eventually gave up trying to shout and pulled her wand, setting off a mild cannon blast charm to get people's attention. It worked even better than she had expected, as not only did the shouting from upstairs stop, but even Mrs. Black shut up, if only for a few seconds, before berating her for daring to sully the House of Black or some such nonsense. She quickly moved to the painting and pulled the curtain over it, not wanting to hear her great-aunt's ranting any more than necessary.

"Ah, Nymphadora," said Dumbledore, breaking away from Lupin and Moody. "I take it you were unable to locate Harry and Sirius?"

"No, I found them," she answered, ignoring his use of her first name. "I even talked to them a bit, but I couldn't stop them." Dumbledore opened his mouth to say something, but she held up a hand and kept going. "They both had Royal Summonses, which also had compulsion charms applied to them. I might have been able to bring them back if I stunned them both, but we were in the middle of a large crowd of Muggles, and I doubt Sirius would have let me get away with it anyway. The last I saw of them they had reached the palace gate and were talking to the guards."

Dumbledore hung his head, while Moody just looked grim as ever. As Dumbledore let out a sigh, she realized that Lupin was smirking slightly, as though he knew something they didn't. She made a mental note to corner him about that later.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came down the stairs, followed not-so-closely by their children and Hermione. Dumbledore sighed, then looked at the assembled crowd. "I'm afraid there's nothing we can do but prepare for the worst," he said, "though what exactly is going to happen I don't know."

Mrs. Weasley, realizing that Harry wasn't back and wasn't coming back, started to cry, burying her head into her husband's shoulder. Moody nodded, then stomped over to the dining room and pulled out a bottle of firewhisky.

It was left to Ron Weasley to ask the question on nearly everybody's mind, mostly because he couldn't keep his mouth shut very often. "What's the worst that could happen?" he asked, causing his mother to stop crying and glare at him.

"That's none of your business, young man. Get back up..." she started to shout, but stopped when Arthur shook his head and put a firm hand on her shoulder.

"No, Molly, they need to know. They all need to know, because it will affect them right away." He looked at Dumbledore and nodded, who returned the nod somberly.

"Harry has been summoned by the Queen, which means that she has probably taken a greater interest in the Wizarding world than she has in the past. Unfortunately, the current Ministry has not been living up to its end of the Wizarding Charter, and whether intentionally or not has probably given the Queen grounds to revoke it. Should that happen, the Ministry will no longer be in control; the Queen will instead."

Hermione gasped, wondering how that fact had escaped her, as the Weasley children all murmured to themselves while their mother started crying again.

"If the Ministry falls, who knows what Voldemort will do. And I have no idea what, if anything, the Queen would be able to do about that." This caused more wailing from Mrs. Weasley, and even some crying from Ginny and Hermione, who were now hugging each other. "I have hopes that she will not abandon us, as we would still be her subjects, but we have to be prepared for the worst."

Tonks snorted. "Well, there's nothing I can do about it one way or another, and I'm still supposed to be on duty in a few hours. So if you'll excuse me, I'm going home to take a nap."

Dumbledore gave her a hard look, then said, "Very well, Nymphadora, I won't expect you at the meeting I'm calling for tonight."

"It's Tonks," she muttered as she headed for the Floo. Walking past Lupin, she reached out and grabbed him, pulling him along with her into the next room. Stopping by the fireplace, she turned and pointed a finger at him while quietly saying, "You knew about this, didn't you?"

Lupin nodded slowly.

"Could you have stopped them?" asked Tonks.

"No," replied Lupin, "I didn't find out until it was too late." He lowered his voice even more. "Not that I would have stopped them, given what I know now."

"Will you tell me what you know after this is all settled?"

Lupin nodded again. "Once it's all over, I'll come clean."

Tonks gave a sharp nod, then said, "Good, because I really want to know how they pulled this off." Softening her expression, she said, "Good night, Remus," then threw some Floo powder into the fireplace and stepped in.

Remus looked back towards the entry hall then let out a breath. Nobody was paying attention to him right now, so maybe nobody else noticed. Well, he was pretty sure Moody had, but as long as nothing was said he wasn't going to worry. He could deal with Dumbledore finding out about his role, but he wasn't looking forward to the tongue-lashing he could expect from Mrs. Weasley should she find out.

When he returned to the hallway, Dumbledore was casting Patronus messenger spells, notifying everyone of a meeting after dinner. He didn't really want to stay, but it would look bad if he left before then, and besides, he couldn't turn down dinner, not when Molly was cooking.

* * *

The drive into the palace was short, and Harry was immediately led inside by two of the soldiers and into a small conference room. Waiting for him there were two impeccably dressed men, who Harry assumed were Muggles. He realized that at least one of them wasn't when the soldier who had confiscated his wand handed it to the older of the two men, who looked at it appreciatively before putting it on the table behind him. The soldiers moved to guard positions by the door, but otherwise said nothing.

The older gentleman then looked at him and addressed him. "Welcome, Harry Potter, thank you for coming. I hope you didn't have too much trouble getting here."

"No sir," replied Harry, wondering who he was.

"Good, good. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Charles Adlington, Chief Wizard to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth." Pointing to the younger gentleman next to him, he continued, "This is my senior assistant, Andrew Halford. I apologize for having to search you and confiscate your wand, but given that your companion is accused of several serious crimes, we cannot take any chances before allowing you to meet Her Majesty."

Harry bristled, and said, "Sirius is innocent!"

The Chief Wizard shook his head and continued, "As I said, he is accused of several serious crimes. Part of the vetting process he will be put through in a few minutes will be to determine whether he is actually guilty of said crimes or not. Her Majesty has instructed me to determine the truth of the matter and present the raw, unbiased findings to her for judgment, at which time she will decide what, if anything, is to be done about it."

Hearing that Sirius was going to get a fair trial, and knowing the truth would exonerate him, he relaxed somewhat and nodded. "I want to be there when you question him," he said firmly.

The Chief Wizard nodded, saying, "As soon as we ensure that you are not under any kind of compulsion or control on his part, we will all determine the truth of his situation."

"What?" shouted Harry, tensing up again.

"You claim to know that Sirius Black is innocent," replied the Chief Wizard. "Before we question him in your presence, we need to ensure that you yourself are not under any influence that would hinder the interrogation process. As the Russians are fond of saying, 'trust, but verify.' "

Harry nodded slowly. He could see the value of taking that path, though he was still upset this had all been sprung on him. "Okay," he said, "what now?"

"First, we check you for compulsions and the like, and then we will interrogate your godfather."

Harry didn't worry as the Chief Wizard started checking him for spells. He knew Sirius wouldn't have done anything like that, and besides, he'd thrown off Voldemort's Imperius Curse. It was unlikely that anyone else would be strong enough to hold one on him after the fact.

* * *

Sirius was sitting at a table in an otherwise empty room, with only two soldiers standing guard by the door to keep him company. Not that they were good company, they hadn't said a word to him since telling him that if he got up from the chair he'd regret it. He was worried about what was going to happen, but more importantly he worried about Harry. What if the Queen was siding with Fudge? Were they just waiting to turn him over to the Aurors, or worse, a dementor?

Bored, and more than a little bit worried, he thought back to what had happened since he got into the Land Rover to come inside the castle.

 _The soldier in the front passenger seat turned around and spoke to Sirius. "Sirius Black, by order of Her Majesty The Queen, you are under arrest on suspicion of murder in the deaths of James and Lily Potter. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defense if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence. You are to be held at Her Majesty's pleasure until such time as you can be given a proper trial. Do you understand?"_

 _Sirius stared at the soldier in shock, not quite understanding what was happening._

 _"Do you understand your rights?" asked the soldier a second time._

 _Sirius nodded, still not quite understanding why he had been arrested. Hadn't the Queen offered him Royal Asylum?_

 _When they got inside the palace and parked next to the other Land Rover, Sirius could see that Harry was already walking inside. He wanted to jump out and follow, but the soldiers on either side of him weren't moving. After a minute, the radio crackled and the soldier in the front seat said, "Alright, let's get him inside." They escorted him out of the car and inside, leading him to a room devoid of anything but a table and chair, to which he was led._

 _"Have a seat," said one of the soldiers. "You are to wait here until someone comes to get you. I recommend you stay in that chair, or you might regret it."_

He was roused from his thoughts by the sound of the door opening. Another soldier entered, followed by two well-dressed gentlemen and Harry.

"Harry!" cried Sirius. He made a move to stand up, but seeing the guards flinch he settled back down and just looked at his godson.

Harry smiled, and said, "I'm okay Sirius, you?"

Sirius just nodded, unsure of what was going on.

"Sirius Black," said the older of the two gentlemen, "I am Her Majesty's Chief Wizard, and I have been instructed by Her Majesty to determine the truth regarding your situation and bring the findings to Her Majesty for judgment. You have my word that no action will be taken regarding your guilt or innocence without Her Majesty's command."

Sirius sagged in the chair as the tension he had been feeling left him. He wasn't out of the woods yet, but he knew that so long as the truth was presented to the Queen, he would be okay. "Thank you," he said quietly, as tears of relief threatened to spill out. A moment later he felt himself pulled into a hug, and looked up to see Harry holding him tightly.

"We made it, Padfoot. Let's get this over with and we can go see the Queen."

At Harry's words he felt a weight lift from him. He might not be totally out of the woods yet, but Harry was safe, and the rest would come. Looking up at the Chief Wizard, he said, "Okay, what do we need to do?" Coughing slightly, he added, "And could I trouble you for a drink of water?"

The Chief Wizard nodded, and one of the soldiers left the room. He then pulled out his wand and conjured two more chairs, one next to Sirius and one on the other side of the table. Sitting down opposite Sirius, he motioned to the other chair and said, "Please, sit down Mr. Potter. We'll begin the questioning once Mr. Black gets his drink."

Harry took a seat, keeping a hand on Sirius's arm but otherwise not saying anything. After a moment the soldier returned with several bottles of water, which he distributed to Sirius, Harry and the Queen's Wizards. Sirius took the bottle and opened it after taking a moment to figure it out, then drank half of it in one long gulp.

"Ahh," he sighed, "much better." Looking at the Chief Wizard, he said, "Okay, ask away."

The Chief Wizard looked at the younger gentleman who walked over to the table, producing a small bottle from his pocket. "Are you willing to answer questions under Veritaserum?" asked the younger Wizard.

Sirius nodded. "Yes, in fact I prefer to so that there isn't any doubt later."

Both of the Queen's wizards nodded, then the younger Wizard opened the bottle and withdrew a dropper. Sirius opened his mouth, and three drops were placed under his tongue.

Sirius's eyes unfocused, and he sagged slightly, but Harry's hand on his arm kept him from going very far.

"Please state your full name," said the Chief Wizard, as his assistant pulled out a pad of paper and pen.

"Sirius Orion Black," replied Sirius, sounding not entirely there.

"How are you related to Harry James Potter?"

"We're distant cousins, though I don't know exactly how."

"Do you have any other connection to Harry James Potter?"

"I was named his godfather by James and Lily after he was born."

"Who cast the Fidelius Charm on the Potter's house?"

"I don't know. I assume it was Lily, but it could have been James."

"Were you the Potters' Secret-Keeper?"

"No."

"Did you know the secret?"

"Yes."

"Who told you the secret?"

"Peter Pettigrew."

"How did he tell you the secret?"

"He told it to me personally, he was the Secret-Keeper."

"Did you betray the Potters to the one who called himself Lord Voldemort?"

"No."

"Have you ever supported or otherwise aided the one who called himself Lord Voldemort?"

"No."

"Did you kill Peter Pettigrew?

"No."

"Did you kill any of the bystanders you have been accused of killing when you allegedly killed Peter Pettigrew?"

"No. Peter did it."

"Why did you come to see the Queen?"

"I came to make sure my godson didn't get a raw deal again. And because the Queen offered to make sure I would get a fair trial."

"Do you have any hostile intentions towards Her Majesty?"

"No."

The Chief Wizard turned to his assistant and nodded. "I think that's enough to satisfy Her Majesty for now. Please give him the antidote so we can wrap this up."

The assistant produced a second vial, and poured a small amount into Sirius's mouth. The moment it hit his tongue, his eyes started to clear, and he swallowed it down. By the time he had finished swallowing, he had returned to normal. Looking at Harry, he sniffled and said, "I'm sorry, Harry."

Harry looked confused, but pulled Sirius into a hug anyway. "What for, Padfoot?"

Sirius gave Harry a smile as he wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. "I'm sorry for putting my own needs ahead of yours, back when you needed me most. I'm sorry for letting Hagrid take you to Dumbledore instead of looking after you myself." Harry tried to interject, but Sirius shushed him. "No, Harry, It was my responsibility to look after you first, and go after Peter second. I know that now, and I won't let it happen again."

Harry gave Sirius a serious look, then smiled. "See that you don't, and all is forgiven."

Sirius smiled back, then pulled Harry into another hug before releasing him. Turning to the Chief Wizard, he asked, "So now what?"

The Chief Wizard kept a studiously neutral look on his face, but it was clear that he had been smiling at the two of them working things out. "Well, now that I have the facts of your situation, I believe you have an appointment with Her Majesty. While you technically remain under arrest until Her Majesty decides what to do with you, I am satisfied that you are not guilty of the charges, and not a threat to Her Majesty either. If you will give me your word that you'll behave properly, I don't think you need to be restrained until then."

"I give you my word, Marauder's Honor."

The Chief Wizard raised an eyebrow at Sirius, then looked at Harry. "Can you please explain the meaning of that?"

Harry nodded, giving Sirius a look. "His group of friends at Hogwarts was known as the Marauders. For him, Marauder's Honor is more serious than swearing on his life."

Sirius nodded, but didn't elaborate. The Chief Wizard looked back at Sirius and continued, "Very well. I will retain possession of both of your wands until you leave the palace. While you have earned some trust, I'm still responsible for Her Majesty's safety. Now, for a quick lesson in etiquette before I take you in..."

* * *

Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, was a patient woman. She had to be, after over forty years on the throne, having dealt with many, many difficult things. That said, she did not like to be kept waiting; her Chief Wizard was due any minute with his charges. After all that she had heard about what was going on in the Wizarding world over the past couple days, she wanted to get more information from those who knew it first-hand.

She was sitting at her desk, going through the latest stack of papers that required her signature just to get them done with, when there was a knock at the door. Pushing the button to indicate that they should enter, she was pleased to see that the Chief Wizard had arrived, followed by a man and a boy. If she was surprised or concerned by the soldiers escorting them all, she didn't show it. She put the paper she had just signed into the finished pile, then watched as they walked in front of her desk and bowed their heads slightly.

"Your Majesty," the Chief Wizard said. He pointed to Harry, then Sirius, as he said, "May I present Mister Harry James Potter and Mister Sirius Orion Black, Wizards."

"Thank you, Charles, I trust there were no problems?"

"No, Ma'am, everything is as you were told."

The Queen nodded. "Welcome, Sir Harry, Mister Black, we've been looking forward to meeting you."


	12. Sir Harry James Potter

_Originally Posted 11/26/15, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 12: Sir Harry James Potter**

The Chief Wizard had spent several minutes going over etiquette and protocol for meeting the Queen, all things that Harry and Sirius would have otherwise known nothing about. When asked if they had any questions, Harry had requested that he change his hair back before meeting Her Majesty. After doing so, he had offered the potion to Sirius, who had declined for the time being. He wasn't sure if he would need his disguise any further, and he had finished the color changing potion turning blond.

Once Harry's hair was back to normal, they were then led through the palace to a door that was guarded by two men in what appeared to be ceremonial garb, who verified the Chief Wizard's identity before allowing him to knock on the door. A moment later a light over the door came on, and the Chief Wizard opened the door, beckoning Harry and Sirius to follow.

They entered what was obviously the Queen's private study. She sat at her desk, doing what appeared to be, of all things, paperwork. As they came to a halt a few steps in front of her desk, they bowed their heads briefly, as they had been instructed.

"Your Majesty," said the Chief Wizard. Pointing first to Harry, and then Sirius, he continued, "May I present Mister Harry James Potter and Mister Sirius Orion Black, Wizards."

"Thank you, Charles," replied the Queen. "I trust there were no problems?"

"No, Ma'am, everything is as you were told."

The Queen nodded, then looked at Harry. "Welcome, Sir Harry, Mister Black, we've been looking forward to meeting you."

It took Harry a moment to parse what she had said, but Sirius got it immediately. He opened his mouth to say something in response, then closed it, looked at Harry, and back at the Queen. Finally he simply said, "Thank you for inviting us, Your Majesty."

Harry, having finally processed what she said, went wide-eyed before answering, "Yes, thank you, Your Majesty." Pausing, he attempted to bite his tongue but was unsuccessful, as he continued, "Why did you call me Sir Harry?"

Sirius looked like he wanted to crawl under a table, and the Chief Wizard rolled his eyes slightly, but the Queen just laughed. "Please, be seated, and I will tell you a story."

The Chief Wizard pulled up three chairs, and they sat in them awaiting the Queen.

"Many years ago, before I was queen, I used to receive letters via owl several times a year. Most of them were wedding invitations, but some were more personal letters from young ladies wanting to correspond with the crown princess. As time went on, the letters became fewer and fewer, until they just stopped sometime after the war was over. And then I became queen, and forgot all about them. Until a few days ago, when an owl suddenly appeared at my window, in this very room.

"In all honesty I had not paid much attention to the Magical world since I ascended the throne, other than occasional reports from my Chief Wizard or the Prime Minister's office. After all, my duties as queen occupy most of my time as is. The last time I spent any time considering it was about fifteen years ago, when the last war began to spill over into my world. But then it stopped, and while I was glad to hear that it was over, I never spent any time learning how it happened or why. Again, my other duties, along with several family matters, kept me from spending extra time on something that I was bound to keep out of anyway.

"Thus it is only recently that I learned that we, that is the Crown and all of non-magical Britain, owe you a debt of gratitude for ending that war."

"But I didn't..." Harry began to interrupt, before closing his mouth and looking sheepish.

"Perhaps you did, perhaps you didn't, but that is the story I have heard. In any event, that is not the end of my story, nor my reason for calling you Sir Harry. When you wrote to me, you brought to my attention the possibility that everything in the Magical world might not have been as we were being told, and I had my Chief Wizard investigate. While I do not believe that I have the whole story, I have learned enough to decide that it is time I take a more involved approach to that segment of my realm.

"It is for that reason, for bringing the plight of my subjects to my attention and giving me a way to take action to help them that I call you Sir Harry. Membership in the Royal Victorian Order is granted at my will, and mine alone, and I have chosen to offer it to you."

Harry blushed, embarrassed by the respect given to him by Her Majesty. "But I didn't do anything," he said quietly, not wanting to offend her yet trying to get out of it nonetheless.

"Appointment to the Order is given for rendering personal service to The Queen. And while you may not feel that you have done anything important, it is I who get to decide what qualifies. Are you refusing membership?"

Harry's blush deepened, but he shook his head. "No, Ma'am, I will accept the honor if you wish to give it to me."

The Queen nodded, then looked at the Chief Wizard. "I know that this will be somewhat out of order, but as this appointment cannot happen during the normal cycle, I do not have my sword handy." She gave a small grin, then turned serious again. "Sir Harry, may I see your wand?"

Harry looked confused, then nodded. "Yes, Ma'am, but Mister Adlington has it right now."

She turned to her Chief Wizard. "May I please have Sir Harry's wand?"

The Chief Wizard stood, then drew Harry's wand. Approaching her desk, he turned it and handed it to her. Harry wasn't sure what he expected when the Queen took his wand, but he felt a little disappointed when nothing happened. The Queen looked it over, then stood and walked around her desk.

"Harry James Potter, kneel before your Sovereign," intoned the Queen regally.

Harry stood from the chair and slowly approached the Queen, then knelt before her.

The Queen brandished Harry's wand, then tapped him first on the right shoulder, then the left. "For invaluable services rendered to the Crown, voluntarily and unbidden, we hereby name you Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order. We thank you, Sir Harry, and offer this as our gratitude."

Harry looked up at the Queen in awe, having just been officially been knighted, and said, "Thank you,Your Majesty."

Smiling down at him, she said, "Please, rise. There's no need to keep kneeling." When he did, she held out his wand to him. "I believe this is yours, Sir Harry."

Looking at the Chief Wizard, then back at the Queen , Harry said, "I'm sorry, Ma'am, I was told that I would not be permitted to keep my wand while inside the palace."

The Queen looked at her Chief Wizard, and the two of them held each others gaze briefly. She then turned back to Harry, and extended her hand a little further. "While I appreciate his concern for my safety, I will not have one of my Knights going around unarmed. Mister Black's wand will remain with Mister Adlington for the time being, but you may retain yours. See that you do not prove yourself unworthy of my trust."

"No, Ma'am. Thank you, Ma'am," stammered Harry. He then took the wand from the Queen, and placed it back in his arm holster.

"Please, take your seat," said the Queen, as she returned to her own desk chair. "We have much to discuss and very little time to discuss it."

* * *

Over the next half hour or so, they discussed the current state of Wizarding Britain, particularly as it related to Voldemort. After explaining that the "So-called Dark Lord", as Her Majesty put it, had returned from the dead and regained his followers, she had pointedly asked him how he knew this. Thus Harry had explained briefly about the night in the graveyard, as well as his earlier encounters with Voldemort's spirit first and second years.

He then explained his encounter with Fudge after returning from the graveyard, and his unwillingness to believe that Voldemort had returned. Sirius went on to explain the current public smearing of both Harry and Dumbledore, using the age-old method of, "If you repeat something often enough, it will become true." Except, of course, when the thing you are repeating is verifiably false.

They had just begun to discuss the Wizarding Charter, and what their options were for dealing with it, when there was a knock at the door. Signaling a halt to the conversation, she pushed the button on her phone to indicate that whoever was knocking should come in.

A steward opened the door and entered. "My apologies, Ma'am, but Prince Phillip has asked if you will be joining him for supper."

The Queen looked at her companions, then back at the steward. "Yes, I shall join him shortly. Please provide supper for Mister Adlington and his two guests, as well as anyone else he requests to join him." Turning to her Chief Wizard, she continued. "Please use one of the private conference rooms to continue your discussions, I'm sure there's much to discuss that doesn't require my presence. I will expect you to return no later than half-past nine to discuss your findings."

The Queen stood, as did the Chief Wizard, Harry and Sirius. She waited until they had left her study before following the steward out herself.

* * *

After leaving the Queen, Harry and Sirius were shown into a small conference room by the Chief Wizard, where they were joined shortly by his senior assistant and two others. He introduced them as additional members of his staff, who would be in charge of any research that was required as a result of their discussions. They kept the conversation light while dinner was brought in, before the Chief Wizard sealed the room to ensure their privacy.

After giving everyone a few minutes to eat, the Chief Wizard said, "Alright, I think we should get started now, just to get things going." After a round of assents, he continued. "The first order of business is to make sure we all know the schedule for tomorrow. What time is your hearing tomorrow, Sir Harry?"

Harry finished chewing and swallowed before answering, "The original hearing was supposed to be at 9am. But the Minister has moved it to 8am and turned it into a trial in front of the full Wizengamot. I also have not been formally notified of that fact, but found out due to the good conscience of one of his assistants."

The Chief Wizard's face took on a hard look, then he nodded to one of the underlings. "And you're sure there was no attempt to notify you beforehand?"

"The source overheard Fudge talking to his Senior Undersecretary about how to keep me from finding out until it was too late. He then told his father, though I don't know why since they are currently estranged, and the father told me. Given that the Ministry is doing everything it can to discredit me, it doesn't surprise me that he'd try to do something like this either."

"I see," said the Chief Wizard. "And what exactly are the charges you are facing?"

Harry put his fork down and took a long drink before answering. "Violating the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, as well as the International Statute of Secrecy, for performing a Patronus Charm in front of a Muggle." Harry snorted, and missed all four of the Queen's Wizards staring at him with wide eyes.

"You can perform a Patronus?" blurted out one of the underlings.

Harry looked up, then shrugged. "I've been able to do them for over a year." Ignoring their open-mouthed stares, he continued, "But that's not the point. The only Muggle who saw it was my cousin, who knows about Magic anyway, and I only did it because of the dementors that attacked us."

At this point the table erupted, as everyone except Sirius started shouting questions about what had happened. Eventually Sirius banged his hand on the table and said loudly, "Yes, we know that's a problem. Can you please calm down so we can actually figure things out?"

Harry looked at Sirius, who just put an arm around his shoulder and whispered in his ear, "Just looking out for you, okay?"

Harry nodded, then looked back at the Chief Wizard. "Ask away, just one at a time please."

The Chief Wizard nodded, then said, "Perhaps we should start with you simply telling us about what happened, starting before anything unusual happened." Looking at his assistants, he added, "We'll hold our questions until the end."

The three assistants nodded at the Chief Wizard, who in turn nodded at Harry. He took a few deep breaths and composed himself before beginning his tale. He explained about running into Dudley on the way home, and how the dementors had shown up. He told of using his Patronus to save himself and Dudley, and the arrival of Mrs. Figg. He had to take a small detour to explain who she was, as well as why Mundungus Fletcher would be guarding his house. Finally he explained about what happened when he got home, something that took all his strength to do. Strangely it wasn't all of the owls that were hard to explain, but Vernon and Petunia's reaction to everything. When he was finished he sagged in his chair, exhausted from the telling.

The Chief Wizard had listened with rapt attention, taking in every detail Harry told. Occasionally he would make a note about something, and the other three wizards took many more notes, but true to his word he never interrupted. When Harry was finished, he made an extra note to look into his prior living conditions, as his aunt and uncle's reactions had clearly been the hardest thing for him to recount.

"That's quite a tale, Sir Harry," said the Chief Wizard. "I have just a couple questions for now, and then I think perhaps we could all use a small break to finish eating before we continue."

"Thank you," said Harry, "What do you want to know."

"Most importantly, when and where did this happen?"

"It was the evening of the second of August, in Little Whinging, Surrey."

The Chief Wizard made a note of the time and place, then asked, "And was this the residence that you and Mister Black needed assistance departing?"

"No sir," said Harry, "That was Sirius's house. I can't say anything more about its location."

The Chief Wizard nodded, and replied, "That's fine, I don't need to know its location right now anyway. Thank you, we can discuss the incident further after dinner."

Harry nodded thankfully, then set to work finishing his dinner. He didn't notice the Chief Wizard scribble down a note and give it to one of the researchers, who excused himself and left.

* * *

It was about twenty minutes later that they reconvened, after the remains of dinner had been cleared by a couple of stewards. The underling had returned before Harry even noticed his absence, and nobody said anything about it, so they simply picked up where they left off. Harry had explained his prior experience with dementors, and having learned the Patronus Charm to ward them off after the Quidditch incident, which had answered many of their questions. They then went over some of the details about the messages he had gotten, and how quickly they had been received. Finally, they discussed how to get Harry to the Ministry on time.

"I don't actually know where the Ministry is, or how to get there," said Harry. "I'm sure I would have gone with Mister Weasley had I still been back at Sirius's house, but I really don't know how to get there from here."

"Actually," said the Chief Wizard, a grin forming on his face, "that won't be a problem. As it happens, we still have a direct Floo connection into the Ministry, one that they probably don't even remember we have."

Harry and Sirius both looked surprised, with Sirius asking, "But, how?"

"It's connected to the old Crown Ambassador's office." Seeing that this didn't help, he continued, "Back before the last war, the Crown maintained an ambassador to the Magical world since there was much less contact between the two. During the war, especially due to the ties between Grindelwald and Nazi Germany, the Muggle Relations office was set up to provide more timely contact between the Magical and non-magical groups fighting the war, and worked through the PM's office rather than the King. Late in the war the ambassador passed away, and rather than appoint a new one it was decided to just keep liaising through the wartime setup.

"When the Ambassador's office was closed, it was sealed from the Ministry, but the connection to the Crown Wizards' office was kept open. Using that, we can get you directly inside the Ministry rather quickly, and then you just need to get down to the courtroom itself. Does that help?"

"Yes, it does," said Harry. He looked at Sirius, whose eyes had gone wide. "What?"

A grin slowly formed on Sirius's face, until Harry poked him. Looking at his godson, he said, "I could come with you. Once you're inside the Ministry, I doubt they'd even notice me under your cloak. If I could make it to the Wizengamot chambers..."

Harry's gasp was covered by the Chief Wizard asking pointedly, "Cloak? What cloak?"

Harry turned sheepishly towards the Chief Wizard and said, "Um, I have an invisibility cloak."

All four of the Crown Wizards stared at him, though none drew their wands. After a few seconds, the Chief Wizard groaned. "Do you mean to tell me you brought an invisibility cloak into the palace? Into the Queen's study?"

Sirius looked like he couldn't decide whether to cringe or laugh, so it was up to Harry to answer. "Yes?" he said. "It's been in my pack since we got here."

The Chief Wizard looked at Harry, then Sirius, and finally at his senior assistant. He go shrugs from all three, so he merely sighed and relaxed back into his chair. "I think," he said slowly. "I think we're all just going to pretend that we didn't hear that, and you're going to keep it inside your pack until we've left the palace. Agreed?"

Receiving an embarrassed nod from Harry, a chuckle and a nod from Sirius, and more serious nods from his three assistants, he turned back to Harry. "Anything else in your pack I should be aware of?"

"Just the rest of the hair color potion for Sirius, a change of clothes for each of us, and copies of the Wizarding and Wizengamot Charters."

"Really?" inquired the Chief Wizard as his eyes lit up. "After your first letter Her Majesty instructed me to find a copy of the Wizarding Charter so we could have some idea what we had to work with, but I've never seen the Wizengamot Charter before. May we see it?"

"Sure," said Harry, pulling all the documents out of the bag and handing them over. "I'm not sure it will have much of an impact, as it doesn't appear that they have anything to do with the Queen. The only thing we found was some old protections that Sirius could invoke if he willingly presents himself for trial. That would have been hard to do since we didn't know how to get him into the Ministry, but with your backdoor I think we can do it."

The Chief Wizard nodded absently as he quickly read through the Charter, his face smiling brighter as he went. Finally, he looked up and said, "Oh, this is perfect!" At everyone else's blank looks, he looked at Harry and said, "You've got to know the rules if you're going to exploit them!"

At the Chief Wizard's pronouncement of exploiting the rules, Sirius couldn't hold it any more, and started laughing. Harry looked back and forth a few times, then began to chuckle himself. The rest of the wizards did so as well, and the room was filled with laughter for a minute. The Chief Wizard then duplicated all of the documents so that everyone could have their own copy to look over and handed them out so they could get to work doing just that.


	13. Charter School

_Originally Posted 12/4/15, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 13: Charter School**

After giving everyone a few minutes to look over the documents, the Chief Wizard cleared his throat and got everyone's attention. "Since you raised the Wizarding Charter in your requests to Her Majesty, I think we should begin by looking at that. The current Charter was enacted at the same time as the Bill of Rights, while incorporating into it the earlier version of the Charter signed by King James I in 1617. That Charter unified the Wizarding populations of Scotland with those of England and Wales, who had already been unified several centuries earlier. It also granted provisional autonomy to the Magical world, provided that certain major laws were adhered to. This originally included the Magna Carta, and in the amended version the Habeas Corpus Act and the Bill of Rights were added. It also contains a provision to follow any law that the Crown submitted to, and was ratified by, the Wizengamot."

"Have there been any further laws ratified by the Wizengamot?" asked Harry.

"Not that I know of, though it's possible that they're listed separately from the Charter you provided. In any event, you listed clause 29 of the Magna Carta, which is indeed still valid in the Muggle world, and should also be in the Magical one. Just to confirm, Mister Black, you did not receive a trial in which you were found guilty of the charges against you?"

"Not that I remember," said Sirius. "From what I overheard while I was in Azkaban, the head of the DMLE at the time, Barty Crouch, pushed for me to be sent there without a trial and that's what they did."

"Are you saying that the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement explicitly deprived you of a trial before sending you to prison for life?!" asked the Chief Wizard incredulously.

"That's my understanding," replied Sirius. "Unfortunately, you can't ask him yourself, as he was killed earlier this year. Killed by his own son, who he'd broken out of Azkaban despite having been convicted of being a Death Eater, unlike me." The last was said with a growl, and Harry gave Sirius a one-armed hug to calm him down.

"I see," said the Chief Wizard, writing a few more notes. "Do you know of anyone else who was sent to Azkaban without a trial?"

"Not that I'm aware of," said Sirius, but Harry interrupted him.

"Hagrid," said Harry. "Second year, Minister Fudge sent Hagrid to Azkaban after the Chamber of Secrets had been opened. He said something about the Ministry having to be seen doing something, and if it turned out to not be Hagrid they'd apologize later." Harry looked at Sirius. "I had no idea about you back then, and by the time we'd discussed your situation Hagrid was already back. The Minister just took him away, without any mention of a trial."

"That's," the Chief Wizard paused before continuing, "disturbing. Have you witnessed any other questionable decisions by the Minister?"

Harry snorted. "I'm not sure I've witnessed any unquestionable decisions by the Minister. Third year, after Sirius and Remus captured Peter Pettigrew, things went all pear-shaped because Remus forgot to drink his potion." Seeing the confused look on the Chief Wizard's face, he said, "Remus Lupin is my honorary uncle, and a good friend of Sirius and my parents. He was the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor that year, and he's also a werewolf. Pettigrew was captured on the night of the full moon, and Remus got caught up in that and forgot to take his Wolfsbane Potion. When he transformed, Pettigrew escaped, and Sirius held Remus off until he ran away. Unfortunately, after that Sirius got recaptured by Snape.

"Snape is supposed to be the Potions professor at Hogwarts, but mostly he just yells at everyone who's not a Slytherin, and especially me. Anyway, he captured Sirius and claimed that I and my friends who had seen Pettigrew were Confunded, just so that he could get revenge against Sirius for some childhood rivalry. Not that he saw anything, since he was unconscious for most of it anyway. Still, based on his testimony Fudge refused to listen to us and sent for a dementor to administer the Kiss to Sirius. Fortunately, one of my friends and I got some help and were able to free Sirius before that happened, and he's been on the run ever since."

The Chief Wizard made a few more notes. "That's not the most damning of decisions under the circumstances, though I agree it was a bit rushed. Anything else."

Sirius looked unhappy with the Chief Wizard's statement, but held his tongue for the time being.

"Well, there were several incidents with dementors during third year," said Harry. "The first one was on the Hogwarts Express, before we even got to school. The train was stopped and searched by dementors; I don't know what would have happened had Remus not been in our compartment to cast a Patronus and drive them away. After we got to Hogwarts, we found out that Fudge had the dementors surrounding the school, hoping to catch Sirius. They weren't supposed to enter the grounds, but during the first Quidditch match they all came into the stadium and..."

Harry gave a little involuntary shudder, and Sirius patted him on the shoulder. "It's okay, Harry, it's long past."

The Queen's wizards were staring at Harry in disbelief. "There were dementors on the school grounds?" asked the Chief Wizard incredulously.

Harry nodded, then pulled himself back together. "I don't remember it, but I fell off my broom when I blacked out. Dumbledore chased off the dementors, but that was the only time so far I've not gotten the snitch. It was after that incident that I asked Remus to teach me how to do a Patronus."

The Chief Wizard shook his head. "Dare I ask if that's everything?"

"Nope," said Harry. "There's what happened at the end of the Triwizard Tournament. After Voldemort's resurrection, Fudge brought a dementor into the castle and it Kissed Barty Crouch junior before he even questioned him, and Fudge called it 'no loss.' This despite the fact that Barty was supposed to have been dead and had spent the past year teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts while masquerading as someone else. He then tried to claim I was disturbed because of all the lies printed about me in the Prophet, and refused to believe that I had seen Voldemort come back. At one point, he said something like, 'He just can't be back,' before threatening Dumbledore not to work against him.

"Ever since, he's been allowing the Daily Prophet to print stories about Dumbledore and myself, trying to discredit us. All while people who I saw and heard Voldemort call by name continue to have the Minister's support." Harry paused for a moment, then added, "That's everything I can think of."

The Chief Wizard was scribbling furiously now, and did so for half a minute after Harry finished. Looking at Sirius, he asked, "Anything to add, Mister Black?"

"Not that I can think of, other than that Harry should probably give you the names of all the Death Eaters that responded to Voldemort's summons."

Nodding, the Chief Wizard said to Harry, "If you could write them down please, that would be helpful. Do you know if any of them were tried after the first war ended?"

"There were a few Death Eaters in Azkaban," said Sirius, "but I don't know what happened to the ones who didn't get sent there."

"I don't think they were tried," said Harry, "or if they were they never got questioned under Veritaserum. Most of them claimed to be under the Imperius Curse, and/or bribed their way out. The only ones I know of who didn't were Snape, who Dumbledore vouched for, and Karkaroff, who named names and was given a lighter sentence."

The Chief Wizard, indeed all of the Crown Wizards, were shaking their heads at this. "I'd ask if there was anything else, but I think we have enough information to provide a recommendation to Her Majesty, and we also have other things to discuss. Now that we've discussed the Wizarding Charter, and Wizarding Britain's shortcomings related to it, let's look at the Wizengamot Charter.

"First, I want to give you some background on the Wizengamot and the origins of the Wizengamot Charter. If you look at the very first paragraph, it states, paraphrased into modern English, that the Charter incorporates in its entirety the earlier Oath of Magical Fealty taken by members of the Wizard's Council, which was the predecessor to the Wizengamot and the Ministry of Magic. While we do not have copies of that document here, I can tell you approximately what it says since it's one of the documents I found when looking for the Wizarding Charter, and because it was based at least partially on a similar non-Magical oath.

"The Oath of Fealty was taken by the King's closest advisers pledging their loyalty to the King, usually in exchange for protection and various favors. The Oath of Magical Fealty was similar, except that it contained a couple of magically binding components. First, those who took the oath could not take any direct action to harm the King. Given that the King was usually a Muggle, this was necessary to protect the King, and in exchange the wizards were granted the protection of the Crown. It wouldn't and didn't protect individuals against being tried for witchcraft, but it limited that to local authorities rather than throughout the realm.

"Second, and perhaps more importantly, it created a sort of bi-directional power sharing agreement between the King and those in the Wizard's Council. While not autonomous per se, the Council was granted the power to govern Magical England as it saw fit unless the King personally told them otherwise. While the Wizengamot chamber did not exist at the time, the Magics of the Oath should have transferred to it when the Charter was established."

"Okay," said Harry, "So you're saying that if the Queen shows up she can tell them what to do?"

"Yes and no," replied the Chief Wizard. "The Wizengamot Charter was amended during the Interregnum to suspend the Oath of Magical Fealty under the autonomy of the Wizarding Charter. Since there was no King to tell them otherwise, the Oath was held in abeyance, and when the Monarchy was restored it was never challenged. However, that suspension is tied to the Wizarding Charter, something that Her Majesty is considering revoking depending on what she learns this evening. Should that Charter be revoked, the Oath of Magical Fealty would once again be enforced."

"So you're saying that if the Queen revokes the Wizarding Charter, she can force the Wizengamot to change the laws?" Sirius grinned. "Wouldn't that be a kick in the pants for the pureblood supremacists!"

The Chief Wizard grinned back predatorily. "Actually, I suspect that if she were to appear inside the Wizengamot chambers, she could command them to do just about anything, so long as it didn't violate the protections granted in return for fealty. You said that there were a number of people who escaped punishment after the last war by claiming that they were under the Imperius Curse at the time. I don't think they could get away with that in front of Her Majesty, nor would she allow it. In fact, despite not being Magical herself, I believe Her Majesty could use the Wizengamot members' own Magic to enforce the Oath."

Sirius let out a whistle. "Wow. That's pretty heavy. What do you think she'll do?"

"That remains to be seen, though in light of our discussions this evening I am going to recommend that she revokes the Wizarding Charter. While I have some misgivings about having to suddenly take over the Wizarding world on a moment's notice, I cannot condone the direction that those in charge have continued to follow over the past ten years. I've long suspected that Wizarding Britain was in violation of the Charter, but between my limited interaction with it and the restrictions placed on me by the Charter, I haven't been able to do anything to prove it. You, on the other hand, have no such restrictions, and voluntarily came to us with this information."

Harry looked at Sirius nervously.

"I already told you that I have no regrets about this," said Sirius, patting him on the shoulder. "It's not your fault that Fudge and his supporters have messed things up so badly. You're just the messenger; if the house of cards collapses on itself because you sneezed, that's their fault not yours. They should have built it better."

"But what about my friends, what if it affects them?"

"If they're truly your friends, they'll forgive you. Otherwise, they aren't your friends. Besides," Sirius grinned, "people are already blaming you for everything. At least this time it will be for something you actually did!"

Harry gave Sirius a look, but he couldn't help smiling. "Okay, you do have a point." Turning to the Chief Wizard, he asked, "What about the protections on the Wizengamot chamber itself? Do you think they're still in existence?"

"They should be," said the Chief Wizard. "If I'm reading the Charter correctly, the various protections on the chamber are tied directly to the Charter itself. There's actually quite a bit more than just the trial protections, though those are definitely the most immediately relevant. It also indicates that there are wards on the chamber allowing the wizard in charge of the Wizengamot to lock down the chamber, denying both physical access in and out, as well as the use of any magic other than that enforced by the chamber's wards.

"I can only assume that at some point they were needed to keep the members from killing each other during heated debates, or perhaps to force an agreement before allowing people to leave. Both of those could prove quite useful should Her Majesty stage a visit." The Chief Wizard glanced at his watch before nodding to himself. "I'm sure there's more to discuss, but it's already after nine, and Her Majesty wanted us back by half-past. Let's speak with her and we'll go from there."

* * *

After a brief break to freshen up, Harry and Sirius were led back to the Queen's study. The Chief Wizard was joined by his senior assistant this time, while the two underlings went off to research whatever it was that they had been asked to investigate. The Queen welcomed them back with a smile, as she stood behind her desk.

"Welcome back, Charles, Sir Harry, Mister Black," she said, looking at each of them in turn. Looking at the last of their party she added, "Mister Halford."

There was a chorus of "Your Majesty," as they all responded in turn.

"Please, sit," said the Queen, taking her own seat behind her desk. Looking at her Chief Wizard, she inquired, "I trust you had a productive discussion in my absence?"

"Yes, Ma'am," said the Chief Wizard. "Do you want the details first, or just my conclusions?"

"I believe that a summary of the details would be best, followed by your conclusions."

"Of course," he nodded. "We have evidence of at least two people being placed in prison for indefinite periods of time without receiving a trial. In one case the prisoner was released after a few months; in the other case, that of Mister Black, he escaped after approximately twelve years. We also have evidence that the current Minister of Magic is either grossly incompetent or actively conspiring to prevent an honest investigation into both Mister Black's situation, as well as the alleged return of the so-called 'Dark Lord.' "

"He did return!" interjected Harry, but stopped when the Queen held up her hand.

"I know that you believe that, Sir Harry, and I myself am inclined to believe you as well, but until we see concrete evidence we cannot consider it more than an allegation. However, unlike your Minister of Magic, I intend to have the matter investigated thoroughly before reaching a conclusion."

Harry nodded and subsided, satisfied that he wasn't just being brushed aside.

The Queen nodded to the Chief Wizard, who continued, "Finally, we have allegations that a number of alleged supporters of the so-called 'Dark Lord' either bribed their way out of justice, or received cursory trials that were not aimed at uncovering the truth, and that they have resumed aiding and abetting the so-called 'Dark Lord.' "

Looking at the others, he asked, "Did I miss anything?"

Harry and Sirius thought for a moment, then shook their heads. "That's the big stuff," said Sirius.

Turning back to the Queen, he said. "Based on the allegations and evidence I've seen so far, it is my opinion that the Ministry of Magic and the Wizengamot are in direct violation of the Wizarding Charter of Great Britain, and that should you choose to do so there are multiple grounds for revoking it."

"And what do you think I should choose to do?" asked the Queen, suddenly sounding dangerous.

The Chief Wizard didn't seem fazed by the Queen's shift in tone, and simply answered, "It is my opinion, were I in your position, that I would revoke the Charter and institute a temporary government to maintain necessary services while the current system is overhauled and a new Charter established. I acknowledge that my opinion may be biased against the current system, given my own experiences with it, but I have tried to take an objective point of view before rendering my opinion."

The Queen stared at him for a good long minute, with neither of them flinching. Finally, she nodded, and said, "Thank you for your honesty, Charles. I believe you may be correct, but I'm going to get another opinion before I make my decision. In any case, please prepare a plan of action should the Charter be revoked, as I am sure we will need to act quickly if that happens."

"Yes, Your Majesty." He rose and went over to his assistant, and the two of them began conferring quietly.

"Sir Harry," said the Queen, looking first at him and then at Sirius. "Mister Black. You have heard the assessment of Mister Adlington. I would now like to know what you think. You may speak freely without fear, I wish to know the unvarnished truth of the situation."

Harry and Sirius looked at each other, both daring the other to go first. Finally, Harry shrugged, and turned back to the Queen. "I honestly don't know, Ma'am. I've only known about the Magical world for a little over four years, and I really don't know that much about it outside of Hogwarts and a few other things. I'll admit that my experiences haven't been the best at times, but at other times it's been wonderful. However, with Voldemort's return, if the Ministry doesn't do something about him I'm afraid that there's going to be a lot of trouble. Especially for the Muggleborn, given the purebloods' hatred of them."

"I know it's difficult for those born outside of the Magical world once they leave school, as I've heard about it from all of my court wizards over the years. Is it really that bad for them?" asked the Queen.

"It's probably worse," said Harry, looking pensive. "There's a word, it's used by the bigots to describe the Muggleborn. I've seen how much it can hurt their feelings, but I'll say it so you know. Mudbloods," he said, nearly spitting out the word. "That's what the bigoted purebloods call the Muggleborn. They probably wouldn't mind if the Muggleborn all just up and died, and there's definitely at least a few of them who would like to help make it happen. If Voldemort takes over, that's probably what will happen."

The Queen was taken aback by the vehemence of Harry's words, and looked towards Sirius for confirmation. "Do you agree, Mister Black."

"Unfortunately I do, Ma'am," he said. "Only they won't limit it to just the Muggleborn, they'll also go after Muggles too. Probably starting with the parents of Muggleborn, but it won't stop there. Many of them see Muggles as nothing more than cattle, to be slaughtered at their leisure after torturing them for their entertainment. I know there were a lot of disappearances covered up during the last war, but if Voldemort takes over the Ministry I expect there to be a lot more this time around."

"And how do you feel about revoking the Charter, Mister Black?" she asked.

"I have mixed feelings about it," said Sirius, looking thoughtful. "I grew up and spent my entire life in the Wizarding world, and to see it torn down, especially because of something I set in motion, is very difficult for me. But at the same time, the more closely I look at it, the more I think that there's no way to fix it within the current system. It's time for a fresh start, and revoking the Charter could be just the thing to make it happen."

"I see," said the Queen. She was about to continue when there was a knock at the door. Looking over a her Chief Wizard, he nodded to her and she pushed the button on her phone to unlock the door.

Her steward entered followed by one of the two research assistants from the earlier discussions. "Pardon me, Ma'am, but Mister Graham has some information for Mister Adlington."

The Queen nodded, and the assistant bowed to her before bringing a couple of folders over to the Chief Wizard. The Chief Wizard took them and gave each a cursory glance, before thanking and dismissing Mister Graham. After the assistant and the steward had left, the Chief Wizard turned to the Queen and said, "If I may have a moment of your time, Ma'am?"

"Certainly," said the Queen. "Sir Harry, Mister Black, if you'll excuse us for a moment." Looking at the Chief Wizard for a moment, she turned to his assistant. "Mister Halford, please escort our guests to freshen up, then return. I believe we will be finished by then."

The assistant wizard bowed slightly and said, "Ma'am." Harry and Sirius stood and did the same, before following him out into the hallway, glad to stretch their legs for a moment.


	14. Pardonnez-Moi?

_Originally Posted 12/11/15, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 14:** **Pardonnez-Moi?**

Detective Inspector Kathleen Nevin of the Surrey Police looked at her notebook and double-checked the address against the house number. The house looked perfectly normal, which was a stark contrast to her current investigation. She normally didn't do home welfare checks, but that was just the beginning; everything about this case was highly irregular. Still, when the Crown asked for a favor, she wasn't about to argue. At least not in this case.

She had received a call nearly an hour before, just as she had been heading home, from an acquaintance at the Met. Said acquaintance had themselves received a call from someone they knew at Buckingham Palace, with an urgent, albeit unofficial, request. After hearing the details, she had agreed to do a brief check, send a report, and then destroy it, but only after receiving assurances that anything she discovered would be followed up at a later date.

She was given a name, Harry Potter, age 15, and asked to find out where he lived and perform a brief check on the residence even though he was not there at the time. Unfortunately all they had to help her was that he lived in Little Whinging, Surrey; that he lived with his aunt, uncle and cousin named Dudley, who almost certainly had different last names; and that there was a nearby neighbor by the name of Mrs. Figg.

Still, she was an experienced detective, and fairly quickly had located one Arabella Figg living on Wisteria Walk in Little Whinging. It took another half hour of searching, but she managed to locate one Dudley Dursley living with his parents Vernon and Petunia at number 4 Privet Drive, just around the corner from Wisteria Walk. Given the urgency of this matter, she had immediately set out to make an inquiry, yawning as she went.

When she arrived at the Dursleys, it was already nearly nine o'clock, but there were still lights on in the house so she had felt confident ringing the doorbell. She immediately regretted it, as there was a loud bellow of, "Whatever you want, go away!" Waiting a moment, she rang the bell again, then steeled herself for a confrontation.

A moment later the door was nearly ripped open, and a large, walrus-looking man nearly shouted at her, "I said we're not interested!"

"Good evening, Mister Dursley?" she inquired.

Mister Dursley glared at her for a moment, then nodded, clearly holding back his temper.

She pulled out her badge and notebook and said, "I'm Detective Inspector Nevin. May I ask you a few questions about your nephew..." She looked down at her notebook, then back at Mister Dursley. "...Harry Potter?"

Even in the darkness, she could see the fury rising on Mister Dursley's face. "Whatever that freak has done now, I hope you throw the book at him! Anyway, he isn't coming back for the rest of the summer."

"Vernon!" a woman's voice called from inside. "Close the door before the neighbors hear!"

He looked back inside, then took a step back. "Please, do come in," he said mock-sweetly.

"Thank you Mister Dursley," Nevin replied, then squeezed past him into the house. Looking around she could see that it was very well kept, like the outside of the house had been. Being trained to spot things that were out of place, she also noticed that there was only one child in any of the photos, who clearly was Mister Dursley's son.

"Now, what do you want?" asked Mister Dursley, having calmed himself somewhat.

"Your nephew's name came up during an investigation, and I was asked to look into it. You say he's gone for the summer? Where has he gone?"

"He left with his freaky friends, I don't know where they took him." Looking towards the kitchen, he bellowed, "Petunia, do you know where Harry is staying for the rest of the summer?"

" _Freaky?_ " thought Nevin, " _it sounds like Mister Dursley doesn't approve of his nephew's friends. And maybe his nephew too,_ " remembering his comment when she first identified herself.

A thin, horse-faced woman emerged from the kitchen wiping her hands on a towel. "No, Vernon, I don't," she said. "I suppose his Headmaster knows, but I don't know where to reach him."

"Headmaster?" asked Nevin. "As in his school? Where does he go to school? Perhaps I can contact him that way?"

Before Petunia could say anything, Vernon said, "St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys."

Nevin nodded and wrote it down, but mentally she was thinking, " _There's no institution by that name, and even if there was they'd never send boys home for the summer._ _Something is very wrong here, and the request was to keep the inquiry quiet. I'd better wrap this up before I find something out that I can't let go._ " She finished writing her notes, then said, "I see, thank you. Do you expect him back before he returns to school?"

"No," said Petunia, "he often spends the end of summer with his friends, and goes straight to school with them."

"Very well," said Nevin, "thank you for your time. I or someone else will be in touch if we have any more questions. Good night."

As she was led to the door, she couldn't help thinking, " _I don't know if he's run away or not, but I wouldn't blame him if he had._ " Mister Dursley slammed the door shut behind her after she left, only reinforcing her opinion about the absent boy.

She quickly returned to the station and wrote up her report, then added her own little note to it.

 _While I could not see any signs of overt abuse, the lack of pictures of Harry Potter, along with the clearly explosive temper of Mister Dursley, cannot be indicative of a healthy relationship. Additionally, while I'm sure they wish he went to "St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys," I highly doubt such an institution exists. There is something very wrong with this family, and I would recommend not allowing Mister Potter to return to that house without a much more thorough investigation._

After faxing and destroying the report, though not her notes, she had finally gone home for the night. As she did so, she wondered if she'd ever find out what this was about. She also hoped that the next time she heard the name Harry Potter, it wasn't as a victim of Vernon Dursley.

* * *

When Harry and Sirius returned ten minutes later, they were shown in immediately and took their seats after greeting the Queen. "Thank you," she said. "We have just received word from the Prime Minister regarding his interactions with the Minister of Magic. Unfortunately, they merely confirm what you've already told me, in that there has been almost no contact whatsoever, with the last being last summer to inform him about an incident involving 'You-Know-Who's Mark' that supposedly didn't mean anything, as well as importing some dangerous creatures for a 'Triwizard Tournament.' " She looked at Harry and Sirius. "Does that mean anything to you?"

Harry nodded. "Yes, Ma'am," he said, "the Quidditch World Cup last summer. Some Death Eaters, supporters of Voldemort, decided to 'play' with a Muggle family. By play, I mean torturing them. My wand had been stolen earlier by Barty Crouch Junior, and he used it to cast the Dark Mark. The Ministry downplayed the whole thing, claiming it wasn't real Death Eaters, but I never believed them. As for the tournament, the first task involved dragons, and there was a sphinx in the maze during the third task."

"That's when you were captured and Voldemort was reborn, correct?" asked the Chief Wizard.

Harry nodded. "When I returned with the Triwizard Cup and the body of one of the other contestants, that was when Fudge denied the possibility of Voldemort returning."

"I see," said the Queen, making a few notes. She then looked at her Senior Assistant Wizard, and said, "Mister Halford, please alert the Magical Mystery Tour that I want the entire group available no later than 6am tomorrow." Turning to her Chief Wizard, she continued, "I know we have not finalized our plans yet, but I believe it would be prudent to have them prepared for action in case they are needed."

The Senior Assistant Wizard stood and said, "Yes, Your Majesty. By your leave." He waited for her to acknowledge him, then left, leaving a confused trio of Wizards.

"The Magical Mystery Tour?" asked Harry.

The Chief Wizard shook his head for a moment as if to clear it, then looked at Harry. "Her Majesty's Magical Military Squad is a special purpose military unit assigned directly to provide Magical protection for Her Majesty The Queen. Unofficially," he gave the Queen a raised eyebrow, to which she just smiled back, "it's known as the Magical Mystery Tour. It's even known that way on the Muggle side, as an inside joke. When someone gets posted to the Squad, their orders are extremely vague, and even their old commanding officer doesn't know where they're going. Someone once called it that and it stuck."

Looking back at the Queen, he said, "I wasn't aware that you knew their nickname, Ma'am."

The Queen laughed. "Please, Charles, I know I'm supposed to be all prim and proper, but I'm not a stick in the mud. In any event, I suspect that we'll need their assistance tomorrow, and I want to give them time to get ready. But before we discuss that issue, there's one more report that I'd like to review." She picked up another folder from her desk, glanced at it, then looked at Harry. As she did so, her countenance took on a look that combined concern and resolve which made Harry rather uncomfortable.

"Sir Harry," she began, "I would like to ask you a few questions about your home life." Seeing him start to fidget and look away, she softened her expression. "We are always concerned about the welfare of our subjects, especially those who have done us great service such as yourself. I know this may be difficult, but I promise I only wish to ensure your well-being."

"Yes, Ma'am," said Harry, not looking back up at her.

The Queen sighed inwardly, realizing that things were probably worse than she had been informed. Deciding to skip her original question, she asked, "What can you tell me about St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys?"

Harry looked up sharply, as though struck. Sirius suppressed a gasp, then turned and placed a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry flinched, but Sirius just turned the hand into a one-armed hug, and said, "It's okay, Harry, she just wants to help."

Harry looked at Sirius, then nodded slowly. Turning to the Queen, he said quietly, "That's where my uncle tells everyone I go to school when I'm not staying with them."

The Queen's eyes narrowed. "And do they know where you really go to school?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Harry said, looking away again.

The Queen stood, and came around until she was standing in front of Harry. When he wouldn't meet her gaze, she reached out and took one of his hands between her own. "Sir Harry, please look at me."

Harry stiffened, then slowly looked up to meet the Queen's gaze.

"I will only ask you one more question about your living arrangements, but I need you to give me an honest answer." When Harry nodded, she continued. "Do you wish to return to live with your aunt and uncle ever again?"

Harry stared at her for a moment, then shook his head. "No, Ma'am, I don't."

The Queen nodded, then let go of his hand and took a step back. "Then let's see that you don't have to, shall we?" She gave him a smile, then turned and went back to her desk.

Harry took on a hopeful look for a moment, then caught himself. He'd had this almost happen before, only to be snatched away from him, and didn't want to get too far ahead of things. Sirius gave him another hug, along with a smile, before letting him go and looking back towards the Queen.

The Queen sat down at her desk, looked at the folder in front of her, and made a few notes before looking back at Harry. "Sir Harry," she said solemnly, "although we were not involved in your prior living arrangements, we nonetheless apologize for the difficulties that you have had. While we cannot change the past, we shall endeavor to do something about them now."

Turning to Sirius, her face took on a harder, more regal bearing. "Mister Black," intoned the Queen gravely, "please stand for Judgment. We have heard the facts regarding your case, but wish to hear them directly from you. Please describe the events surrounding the deaths of James and Lily Potter in your own words."

Sirius winced, then nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty," he said as he stood, adopting a stiff formal pose. "When the Potters went into hiding, they had planned to use me as the Secret-Keeper for their protection. I felt that I was the obvious choice, and that it would be both more secure and a great prank to use our friend Peter instead, since nobody would suspect that he was their Secret-Keeper. I was unaware at that time that he had already given his loyalty to the Dark Lord.

"The night of their deaths, I went to check on Peter, but was unable to find him. I rushed to Godric's Hollow to check on the Potters, but I was too late. The house was partially destroyed, and inside I found first James, and then Lily, both dead. Harry was in his crib, crying, with the remains of the Dark Lord on the floor across the room.

"I was taking Harry outside when Hagrid approached me, and told me that Dumbledore had sent him to collect Harry and bring him to Dumbledore. I made the mistake of willingly giving Harry to Hagrid, so that I could chase down Peter and exact revenge for killing James and Lily, something I still regret doing. After Hagrid left, I spent the next day searching for Peter, finally locating him on a Muggle street.

"Peter saw me before I could do anything, and shouted that I had betrayed James and Lily. He then blew up the street and transformed into a rat, escaping into the sewers. I don't remember much after that, just waking up in Azkaban. I honestly don't know if the dementors affected my memory, or if my mind just snapped. Either way, I have no recollection of receiving a trial, and based on what I've learned since then I don't think I got one; they were too interested in just putting the whole thing behind them and assumed I was guilty."

"That's enough, Mister Black," said the Queen, "We appreciate your candor." Adopting an even more formal tone, she continued, "Sirius Black, based on your previous testimony under truth serum, as well as your statement just now, we declare you innocent of all charges related to the deaths of James and Lily Potter. Since this judgment is not a proper judicial one, we shall provide a Royal Pardon covering any and all crimes you may have committed between the 31st of October, 1981, and today, the 11th of August, 1995, except the following: Sirius Orion Black, you are charged with abandoning your godson during his time of need after the deaths of his parents. How do you plead?"

Sirius stared at the Queen in shock, until he noticed a slight twitch in the corner of her mouth. Then he grinned back at her.

Harry made to say something, but the Chief Wizard stopped him, grinning slightly. After a moment's confusion, Harry realized what was happening and relaxed as well.

"Guilty, Your Majesty," said Sirius solemnly.

"Very well, Mister Black. I assume I won't have to see you regarding this issue again?"

"No, Your Majesty. It will never happen again," said Sirius. Looking at Harry he quietly repeated, "Never."

The Queen nodded, her smile becoming obvious. "In that case, I sentence you to life..."

At the Queen's pause, both Harry and Sirius gasped, while Charles just chuckled.

"as a parent," finished the Queen, giving Sirius a smirk. "You shall be given full custody of your godson, Harry James Potter, and be required to raise him as your own son from this day forward. Do you understand your responsibilities?"

To say Sirius was experiencing a flood of mixed emotions would be like calling a hurricane a light rain. Relief that he was free. Joy at being given custody of Harry. Fear of being a parent. All that and more washed over him, bringing tears to his eyes and threatening to overwhelm him. He muttered, "Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you," as he sank into his chair.

The dam finally burst when Harry pulled him into an embrace, and Sirius wept openly. Harry joined him after a moment, and the two of them, now officially a family, bonded as they let go of years worth of pent-up emotion.

It was nearly ten minutes later when they finally pulled themselves together and looked around. The Queen and he Chief Wizard were at her desk, conferring about something, clearly giving them space.

"You okay, pup?" asked Sirius, giving Harry a genuine smile.

"I"m better than okay, you?" replied Harry.

"Me too, pup. Me too. Say, since we're already on the topic, remember what I said back when you asked me if we were really a family?"

Harry thought for a minute, then his eyes went wide and he nodded. "You really want to adopt me?"

Sirius nodded. "The Queen did sentence me to life as a parent. I can't think of any better way to do that than to make it official. Muggle, Magical or both, would you like to officially be my son?"

Harry threw his arms around Sirius again and sniffled, "Yes." He repeated it several times before going silent, overcome by emotional exhaustion.

Sirius looked at Harry, and realized they were both knackered, and there were still things to be done. "Excuse me," he said, getting the Queen's attention.

"Yes, Mister Black?" the Queen asked with a smile.

"Would it be possible to find someplace for Harry to take a nap?" he asked, before yawning himself. "Me too, I guess," he said sheepishly.

The Queen looked at her Chief Wizard. "What time do you need to leave to be there in time?"

"No later than half-past seven," he replied.

"Very well. We request that you return here at half-past five tomorrow morning to complete our preparations, as it is clear that you need some rest and it is getting late. Charles, please have a steward prepare guest quarters for Sir Harry and Mister Black, as well as providing appropriate security to ensure they are not disturbed. We shall have breakfast ready when you return in the morning."

"Yes, Your Majesty," said the Chief Wizard, before bowing slightly to the Queen. He then turned to Sirius. "If you will follow me?"

Sirius looked down at Harry, who he realized had fallen asleep. "Just a minute," he said, moving to pick Harry up. As he did so, he looked at the Queen and said, "Your Majesty, I would like to request that I formally adopt my godson. While I can do so easily in the Magical world, I would like to do so as well in the Muggle world."

The Queen gave him a searching look, then nodded. "It will take some time to process the paperwork to make it official, and Sir Harry will have to give his formal approval as well, but I agree that you should officially be a family if that's what you want. We will put you in touch with the appropriate people once everything else is settled."

"Thank you, You Majesty. Good night, and thank you for your hospitality this evening." Sirius turned to follow the Chief Wizard, who was now waiting by the door.

"You are welcome, Mister Black, we shall see you in the morning."

The Chief Wizard opened the door, and beckoned Sirius out into the hall. Nodding at the Queen, he said, "Your Majesty."

The Queen gave a small dismissive wave, though the smile on her face showed that she wasn't upset. The Chief Wizard gave another nod, then stepped out, closing the door behind him. She then picked up the document that she had been reviewing with her Chief Wizard before Sirius had gotten her attention. Her mien became more serious as she continued to read it, before turning incensed. By the time she was done, she had come to the conclusion that she would have to step in and take charge. But how to do that was a question for tomorrow, so she folded it back up and locked it in her desk. Pushing a button on her phone, she rose and headed for the door herself, greeting her steward as she opened the door before he escorted her to her living quarters.


	15. Preparations

_Originally Posted 12/18/15, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 15: Preparations  
**

Insistent knocking on the door woke Harry from the most wonderful dream. As he heard someone calling for him, he realized that he was in an unfamiliar bed, and that it was more comfortable than anything he had ever slept in. As consciousness unwillingly returned to him, he heard someone shout through the door, "Sir Harry, you must get up! Her Majesty is expecting you in half an hour!"

"Sir Harry," he thought. "Her Majesty." His eyes went wide and he bolted out of bed, his mind screaming, "It wasn't a dream!" He called out, "Just a minute!" before checking to make sure he was at least decent. Realizing that he was still wearing the same clothes as the day before, he made his way to the door and opened it.

A very relieved assistant to the Chief Wizard was standing outside the door, looking somewhat frazzled. "Thank goodness," he said. "You need to be ready in less than twenty minutes. It won't do to be late for Her Majesty. Here," he said, handing Harry a bag. "Mister Black asked me to give you your clean clothes for today. If you hurry, you should have time for a quick shower first. Please be ready by twenty past and I'll escort you to Her Majesty."

"Thank you," said Harry, taking the bag as he suppressed a small yawn. Despite getting some of the best sleep he'd ever had, it was still only six hours or so. "Excuse me," he said when he finished yawning, closed the door, and started to get ready.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Harry and Sirius were standing in the Hall with two soldiers, waiting for their escort to take them to the Queen. Sirius was lamenting about having to get out of such a wonderful bed, and while Harry certainly agreed with him he didn't feel the need to do more than just nod on occasion. After a moment, the assistant (Mister Halford, Harry's brain finally reminded him) returned and led them to the Queen's study. He knocked, and after a moment they were let in to find Her Majesty back behind her desk, looking almost as though she hadn't left. The Chief Wizard was there as well, along with two older looking soldiers standing at ease, with a small continental breakfast buffet behind them.

It took Harry a moment, but he realized that one of the two soldiers was the same as the leader of the group that originally brought them into the palace. He wondered what that meant, but also remembered that at least one of those men had a wand, so he assumed that these were members of the Magical Mystery Tour.

Harry and Sirius stood in front of the chairs they had used the night before and bowed their heads slightly, saying, "Good morning, Your Majesty," as Mister Halford did the same.

"Good morning, Sir Harry, Mister Black, Mister Halford," said the Queen. "Thank you for joining us so promptly. In addition to Mister Adlington, we have Major French and Captain Lee, both from the Magical Military Squad. Please, take some breakfast and have a seat, we have much to discuss before you have to depart."

Harry and Sirius shook hands with the soldiers, then collected a few things to eat. Once everyone had some breakfast, they took their seats.

"Last night, you gave me a great deal of information about the Magical world, much of which I had never heard before. I have heard some about the discrimination against those not born to Magical parents, but coming entirely from those who claimed to be discriminated against, it was impossible to get a truly objective picture. No offense, Charles," she said as an aside, looking at her Chief Wizard.

"None taken, Ma'am," he replied, looking studiously neutral.

"Still, prior to our conversation last night, there was not any reason to be seriously concerned about it, especially as it relates to the non-Magical world. You gave me much to think about last night, for good and for ill."

"My apologies," Harry began, but she waved him off.

"No apologies necessary, Sir Harry." She gave him a little grin and added, "No one ever said that being Queen was easy."

Harry nodded, then smiled when he saw that the Chief Wizard and both soldiers were smiling at her pronouncement.

The Queen held the grin for a few seconds, then her face turned serous. "I have given much thought to this matter since last night, and I have come to the conclusion that I have no choice but to take action," she said. "However, I do not believe that it would be appropriate for me to simply revoke the Charter here and now."

"Your Majesty?" inquired the Chief Wizard.

"I believe," she continued, "that it would send a much more effective message if the Charter were to be revoked in the Wizengamot chamber, by a member of the Magical world." She fixed her eyes on Harry, and for a moment he felt like she was looking through him. "Sir Harry, we would like you to be the arbiter in this matter; you shall be the one who will decide if it is appropriate to revoke the Charter or not."

Harry had to swallow hard to avoid choking on the food in his mouth, and nearly dropped the plate with the rest of his breakfast. "Me? But why, Ma'am?" he asked.

The Queen's expression softened slightly, and she said, smiling, "Because it is you who has been held up as the savior of the Magical world, and it is you who has been wronged the most by them as well. It would be fitting for you to be the one to prove them both right and wrong at the same time."

Harry looked confused and a little embarrassed. "Begging your pardon, Ma'am, I'm nobody special."

The Queen gave him a big smile. "Ah, but you are, Sir Harry. The fact that I gave you that honor alone proves it." Harry started to protest, but the Queen held up a hand to silence him. "Sir Harry, there are many things in life that need to be earned before receiving them can actually mean anything. Some of the most important are trust and respect. The same is also true for their opposites as well. You have already earned my respect, for making hard choices instead of easy ones. And you have earned my trust as well, to a certain extent. The Magical world, on the other hand, has earned neither, and in fact has earned at least some of the opposites.

"However, though it may be my right to revoke the Charter, it is not my world that will be most affected. You are the one who will have to live in this new world, knowing that either directly or indirectly it was your actions that brought about the change. And so it is to you that I entrust the final decision as to whether the Magical world can be reformed within the current structure, or whether it needs to be torn down and rebuilt from the ground up. I am placing this trust in you, and I will support your decision as best I can whichever way you choose."

Everyone stared at the Queen in shock, especially Harry. As one, they all had some variant of the same thought go through their heads: " _She's placing the future of Magical Britain in the hands of a fifteen year old boy?_ "

After a moment of shocked silence, the Chief Wizard spoke up. "Do you think that is wise, Your Majesty?"

The Queen responded, though she continued to look Harry in the eye. "Wise? Perhaps not. But I do believe it is the right thing to do. Sir Harry has been a victim of the preconceived notions of the Magical world almost his entire life. Today I am giving him a chance to take control of his own life in a manner that cannot be ignored by those who seek to control him."

"Sir Harry," she said as she softened her focus, "will you accept this task?"

Harry's mind was spinning. He knew the Queen had some level of trust in him, as she had given him back his wand last night. But this? She was giving him the power to either bring the Magical world back under the Queen's control, or keep her out of it. And she specifically wanted him to do it for himself, and not for her. He felt the room start to spin, and thought he was about to fall out of his chair, when he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder. Turning his head slowly, he saw that Sirius was looking at him worriedly, while helping to steady him.

"Are you okay, pup?" he asked. "How can I help?"

Harry tried to focus on Sirius's face, and took a few deep breaths to try and pull himself together. "You'll come with me?" he asked.

Sirius nodded. "I'll stay by your side as long as you'll have me, and even then you'll have to hex me to make me leave."

Harry put his hand on Sirius's and smiled. "Thanks," he said softly. Then looking at the Chief Wizard, with a stronger voice he said, "Mister Adlington, would you please accompany me to the Wizengamot chambers for my trial?"

The Chief Wizard looked surprised, then slowly grinned. "It would be my pleasure, Sir Harry." Turning to the Queen, "If I may, Ma'am?"

Harry turned to the Queen in time to see her nod at her Chief Wizard, then look back at him. "Your Majesty," he said, "I am humbled by your trust in me, and accept the task you have placed before me. I will do my best to live up to your expectations."

"I know you will, Sir Harry," she replied. "Otherwise I wouldn't have asked you." Her expression took on a regal intensity that she'd only displayed previously when she knighted Harry, and she stood behind her desk. "Sir Harry James Potter," she intoned solemnly, "we charge you with the following Royal Command: You are to present yourself before the Wizengamot for trial. Using your own judgment to determine the appropriate time, you yourself shall revoke the Charter in my name. Do you understand these instructions?"

Harry stood and bowed, a little deeper than he had previously. "I hear and accept my Queen's command." He then blushed a little, as the Queen gave him a look that made him think she was trying not to laugh at him. "Yes, I understand," he said quietly, sitting back down and trying to hide his embarrassment.

The Queen picked up a fountain pen and scribbled something on a piece of paper on her desk, then took her Royal Seal and stamped it. Picking it up, she held it out for someone to take. "Sir Harry, this document bearing our signature and seal grants you the authority to revoke the Wizarding Charter in our name. If anyone questions it, inform them that they will answer to us."

"Yes, Ma'am," said Harry as he stood again and went over to her desk and collected the document.

Turning to Sirius as Harry returned to his seat, she said, "Mister Black, while I will not make it a Royal Command, I ask that you look after your godson and assist him in making the decision when the time comes."

"Of course, Your Majesty," answered Sirius seriously.

"Charles," she said, smiling as she turned to her Chief Wizard. "I know that this is not something you ever expected to have to do, but it is also something I expect you have been preparing for nonetheless. Once the Charter has been revoked, assuming Sir Harry revokes it, you shall act as my proxy and take control of the Wizengamot chambers in whatever manner you see fit. You will then notify me immediately, and make preparations for my arrival to oversee some changes personally. I have cleared my schedule this morning, and expect I will arrive within half an hour of hearing from you."

"Yes, Ma'am," said the Chief Wizard. "I assume that is why you asked Major French and his adjutant to join us?"

"Correct," she said. "I expect they will insist on securing the area before I arrive, so I thought it prudent to include them now."

Looking at the Major, the Chief Wizard asked, "How do you want to handle this?"

"What exactly is the situation we're going to be coming into?" asked the Major. "I didn't get a very detailed briefing last night."

The next forty-five minutes were spent filling in the Major and Captain on what was happening today, as well as some of the background surrounding the players involved. Eventually it was agreed that in addition to the Chief Wizard, Captain Lee and two other soldiers who were also wizards would accompany Harry and Sirius to the Ministry. Captain Lee and one of the other wizards would escort them down to the courtroom, scouting along the way. Captain Lee would remain outside the courtroom awaiting word that the Charter had been revoked, while the other wizard would return to the Crown Ambassador's office. The third member of the team would remain in the office just in case, waiting to return to Buckingham with any news.

Should the Charter be revoked, a dozen fully armed soldiers would come through and secure the passage to the Wizengamot chambers, before the Queen herself would be permitted to make her way to the Ministry and down to the Wizengamot. Their biggest concern was the Queen's safety inside the chamber itself, but it was hoped that the defensive wards worked the way they thought, and all magic could be suppressed once the Chief Wizard took control of the wards.

After confirming the plan, they all took their leave of the Queen to take care of any last-minute business before Flooing to the Ambassador's office. As they stood to go, she said, "Good luck, Sir Harry. I look forward to seeing you again regardless of your decision later this morning. Remember, I will support whichever choice you make as best I can."

Harry bowed and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty," before leaving to meet his destiny.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore stepped out of the Floo in the Ministry atrium just before half past seven. He wished he'd seen Madam Pomfrey for a headache potion before he left, but was running late since he wanted to ensure he arrived before Harry. He hadn't gotten much sleep, and what he had gotten was very troubled by the implications of what he'd learned yesterday.

Of course, the Order meeting last night hadn't helped either, though to be honest he'd had this headache since yesterday afternoon. And it had only been getting worse ever since. As expected, the meeting hadn't gone well; between Molly lamenting about Harry in general, and several other members blowing up about the implications regarding the Charter, things had devolved into mostly shouting within minutes. That the shouting had lasted well over two hours without coming up with any solutions had him eventually sending everyone home, simply telling them to "be prepared for anything."

He would have been happy if that was the end of it, but Severus had been waiting for him when he returned to Hogwarts. Dumbledore had hoped to avoid telling Severus about what had happened, but excluding him from the meeting had merely piqued his curiosity. He then had to listen to Severus rant about Potter and Black for nearly another hour before he could beg off as needing sleep.

He wished he was still Chief Warlock, as that would at least give him some possibility at changing the direction things appeared to be going. Still, while stripped of his official powers outside of Hogwarts, he wielded a lot of influence in some circles and hoped it would help this time as well.

Looking around the atrium of the Ministry, he realized that he'd never told Mrs. Figg about the change of time, and that she wouldn't be arriving for another hour, assuming she was on time. He hoped that her testimony was either not needed, or that the trial would last until she arrived, as there was no time to go get her now. Not if he wanted to talk to Harry before the trial started.

He made his way down to courtroom ten and checked his watch. It was now twenty minutes before eight, and Arthur had said that the hearing was to begin at eight instead of nine. Not seeing anyone outside of the courtroom, he opened the door and entered.

* * *

Harry stepped out of the Floo and promptly fell into Sirius's arms. "I love you, pup," he said grinning, "but not like that."

Harry straightened himself up then smacked his godfather on the arm. "Love you too, _dad_ ," he said.

Sirius froze for a second, then the grin turned into a giant smile. Pulling Harry back into a hug, he said, "Thanks, Harry, I can't wait for you to be able to call me that for real." They remained that way for a few more seconds, before they were interrupted by the Chief Wizard.

"Aren't you forgetting something, Mister Black?" the Chief Wizard asked.

Sirius let go of Harry and turned to the Chief Wizard, looking confused until he saw the Chief Wizard holding out his wand.

"Thank you," said Sirius, taking his wand and returning it to his sleeve..

"I assume you still want to avoid being seen until the right time?" asked the Chief Wizard.

Sirius nodded, then turned to Harry. "Let me have the backpack, I need your cloak."

Harry handed Sirius the pack, who started digging through it. As Sirius was pulling out the cloak, Harry asked, "What about your hair?"

"Good point," said Sirius, pulling out the last potions bottle. He drank it down, returning his hair to its normal color, then turned to the Chief Wizard. "I'll be right next to Harry, and poke him if there's a problem. Let's go." With that he put on the cloak and disappeared.

The soldiers accompanying them gasped when Sirius disappeared, but the Chief Wizard shushed them. "Keep it to yourselves," he said, "think of it as operational security."

The soldiers nodded, then one of them moved to the door, tapped it with his wand, and stuck his ear against it. After a moment, he said, "Sounds clear," and slowly opened the door. After verifying that there wasn't anybody in the hall, he exited the Ambassador's office, followed by Harry, Sirius, the Chief Wizard and Captain Lee.

It was early enough that this part of the Ministry was mostly deserted. They waited around the corner from the lifts while Sirius called for it under his cloak. The first lift wasn't empty, but the second one was, and they took it hoping it would stay that way. Their luck held, and they were deposited on level nine before walking down to level ten and the courtrooms.


	16. Into the Breach

_Originally Posted 12/25/15, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 16: Into the Breach**

When Dumbledore first entered the Wizengamot chamber, approximately half of its members had already arrived and were milling around, along with a couple of Aurors standing guard on either side of the chamber. He greeted each one with a wave or a nod, but kept close to the doors so he could intercept Harry upon his arrival. Several more members arrived over the next few minutes, and he found himself speaking to one briefly when the doors opened again and the Minister's party arrived.

Fudge had dispensed with his trademark green suit and bowler hat, and today was wearing the formal robes of the Chief Warlock's office. Accompanying him were Madam Bones, wearing her DMLE robes, a harried-looking Percy Weasley carrying rolls of parchment, and Senior Undersecretary Umbridge, who was wearing her trademark outfit of a pink cardigan over her robes. Fudge was saying something to Percy when he noticed Dumbledore and abruptly stopped.

"Dumbledore!" he exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to represent Mister Potter, assuming he doesn't have representation already," replied Dumbledore. "After all, one is entitled to defense counsel when tried before the Wizengamot."

"Um, yes," sputtered Fudge. "Of course. And where is Mister Potter?"

"He hasn't arrived yet," said Dumbledore, "though I expect he'll be here on time." Noticing the smirk on Umbridge's face, he inquired, "You did notify him of the change in time and place for his hearing, yes?"

"What?" asked Fudge, clearly not expecting the question.

"The change to his hearing. I believe it was originally scheduled to be at 9am in Madam Bones's office, before you moved it here."

Madam Bones narrowed her eyes, but didn't say anything.

There was a high-pitched, "Hem, hem," as Madam Umbridge interjected. Dumbledore turned to face her, and she continued, "If he is not aware of the change it's his own fault. I sent out the notifications personally." She gave a sweet smile, but her overall demeanor was anything but.

"Yes, I see," said Dumbledore, before turning back to Fudge. "I'm curious, Minister, why something as simple as a matter of Underage Magic merits a full criminal trial before the Wizengamot? Surely it would have been more appropriate to leave it in the hands of Madam Bones."

Madam Bones started to open her mouth to say something, but Fudge beat her to it. "Mister Potter is charged with a very serious offense," he said, "namely violation of the International Confederation of Wizards' Statute of Secrecy, as well as his second violation of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery. This is the most appropriate venue to deal with those serious charges."

Dumbledore looked pensive for a moment, then gave a tiny shrug. "If you insist, Cornelius, then I cannot prevent you from doing this. However, I do not believe that you are going to get the results you are expecting, or even those that you desire. I can assure you that Mister Potter's actions on the second of August were both reasonable and justified."

"Well, we'll just have to see what happens, won't we?" asked Fudge, who then pushed past Dumbledore and took his place at the head of the Wizengamot, with Madam Umbridge taking a seat next to him. Percy took his seat at the table for the court scribe, putting down his burden and organizing it in front of him. Madam Bones scrutinized Dumbledore for a moment, then nodded to him before taking her seat on the other side of Fudge.

The remaining members of the Wizengamot had arrived while Dumbledore was talking to Fudge, and as it was approaching eight o'clock they were all taking their seats. Dumbledore moved off to the side, but remained standing, alternately looking towards Fudge and then the door.

At precisely 8am, Fudge banged his gavel, and once everyone had settled down he announced, "Ladies and gentlemen of the Wizengamot, we are here for the trial of Harry James Potter. As the defendant has not chosen to appear, I move..."

Dumbledore was about to raise an objection, as were Madam Bones and a couple of members of the Wizengamot, when the door to the courtroom flew open and slammed into the wall. Harry Potter strode into the courtroom, head held high and wand in hand.

"M-Mister Potter," sputtered Fudge, "what are you doing here?" Realizing what he'd just said, he quickly added, "I mean, it's about time you arrived. You're late."

Harry ignored Fudge, walking up to stand in front of the defendant's chair, and raised his wand. In a loud, clear voice, he stated, "I, Harry James Potter, willingly present myself for trial!" There was a brief flash of light from his wand, which he then lowered before looking at Fudge. "I'm sorry, Minister," he said, "did you say something?"

Fudge just spluttered, but Dumbledore went over to Harry and said, "Harry, my boy, I'm so glad you made it. I'll do my best to assist you with your trial."

"No thank you," said Harry. "I've got my own representation, but you're welcome to watch."

Dumbledore looked concerned, and turned towards the door. When Harry had arrived, he hadn't paid attention to whether anyone else had entered the courtroom, and what he now saw caused his eyes to go wide with concern. Turning back to Harry, he said, "Are you sure this is wise, Harry? This is a very serious situation."

Harry's eyes narrowed. Lowering his voice slightly, he said, "Sir, I am very aware of the seriousness of the situation, and your assistance is neither requested nor required. Please, have a seat in the gallery."

Dumbledore held Harry's gaze for a moment, then backed away and moved to sit in the observers' gallery. He looked back one last time, and saw that in addition to Sirius Black under Harry's invisibility cloak, there was another wizard standing by the doors, one who was unknown to him.

Harry turned back to the Wizengamot, and addressed Fudge. "Despite your attempt to change the time and place of this hearing without my knowledge, I'm here and ready to begin. Are you?"

Fudge had recovered while Harry and Dumbledore were conferring, and now was just staring at Harry. After a moment he nodded, banged his gavel one more time to quiet the murmurs from the Wizengamot, then said, "Disciplinary hearing of the twelfth of August, into offenses committed under the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery and the International Statute of Secrecy by Harry James Potter, resident at number four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey.

"Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister of Magic; Amelia Susan Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement; Dolores Jane Umbridge, Senior Undersecretary to the Minister. Court Scribe, Percy Ignatius Weasley. Mister Potter, please have a seat."

Ignoring Fudge's request that he sit down, Harry turned towards where he knew Sirius to be and nodded. Sirius walked forwards and whipped off the invisibility cloak, stating, "Sirius Black, adviser for the defense."

* * *

At one minute after eight, Harry had slammed open the courtroom door and strode into the Wizengamot chamber, causing all eyes to gravitate to him. A few seconds later, Sirius had entered under the invisibility cloak, stepped to the side, and waited. When Harry raised his wand, Sirius had done the same, and stated, "I, Sirius Orion Black, willingly present myself for trial." Between Harry making the same proclamation, and the flash from Harry's wand, nobody noticed Sirius or the Chief Wizard, who had entered behind him and stood against the back wall.

A minute later he spotted Dumbledore noticing him, but just stood there waiting for Harry's signal. After introducing the charges and the courtroom personnel, Fudge asked Harry to sit in the defendant's chair. This was the moment he had been waiting for, and as Harry nodded to him, he stepped forwards towards the center of the room and whipped off the invisibility cloak. "Sirius Black, adviser for the defense," he stated.

There was a collective gasp from nearly everybody in the courtroom, as many of them reached for their wands. Madam Bones was the fastest, pointing her wand at Sirius and yelling, " _Stupefy!_ "

The red light from her wand raced over to Sirius, who ignored it as he approached Harry. An instant before it would have hit him, it struck an invisible shield that glowed blue momentarily, before both the curse and shield dissipated in a series of ripples.

Madam Bones face took on a shocked look, while Fudge shouted, "Aurors, seize him!" The two Aurors raced over, converging on Sirius from both sides as he stood there passively, grinning at Harry. As they got within arm's reach, they both made to grab him before bouncing off the same blue shield that appeared out of nowhere, falling backwards onto their behinds.

It was then that Dumbledore gave a gasp, then shouted, "Minister Fudge, stop! Sirius Black has invoked the Trial Protections of the Wizengamot Charter!"

This caused another gasp from among many of the Wizengamot members, along with Madam Bones. She narrowed her eyes at Dumbledore and nearly shouted at him, "What is the meaning of this, Dumbledore!"

Dumbledore made to respond, but Sirius beat him to it. "It means that I never received a trial before I was shipped off to Azkaban. I have willingly presented myself for trial, and thus have invoked the protections built into the Wizengamot Chamber until I receive one." Smirking at Fudge, he added, "That means, Minister, that you can't have me kissed without giving me a trial first."

Fudge looked back and forth between Sirius, Dumbledore and Madam Bones, before he demanded, "Is this true?"

"Yes, Minister," replied Dumbledore. "The Trial Protections are documented in the Wizengamot Charter, a document I'm sure you familiarized yourself with when you took over as Chief Warlock." There was no hiding the sarcasm in Dumbledore's voice, at odds with the kindly smile on his face.

"Yes, well..." said Fudge. Looking at Percy, he said, "We will hold the trial of Sirius Black immediately after we complete Mister Potter's trial. Mister Black," he turned to Sirius. "As you are a criminal defendant awaiting trial, you are disqualified as adviser for Mister Potter in his trial. Please take a seat until we get to you."

Sirius patted Harry on the shoulder and whispered in his ear, "No surprise there. Time for the next piece of the plan."

Harry nodded, and Sirius went to sit near, but not next to, Dumbledore. Harry then looked back at the Chief Wizard, who gave him a nod. Turning to Fudge, Harry said, "Since you disqualified my initial choice for adviser, I would like to choose a different one."

Fudge looked like he wanted to object, but Madam Bones said, "If they're here already, go ahead."

Harry nodded, then pointed to the back of the room. The Chief Wizard came forward, and once he had reached Harry announced, "Charles Adlington, adviser for the defense."

Fudge scowled. "And who might you be?" he asked.

"As I said I am Charles Adlington," said the Chief Wizard, adopting a formal pose, "Chief Wizard to Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith."

Fudge looked like he'd bit into a very sour lemon, and off to the side Dumbledore nearly choked on his own tongue. Madam Bones raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, while most of the Wizengamot made various noises of surprise.

Rising above those various noises was the, "Hem, hem," of Senior Undersecretary Umbridge, who stepped forwards to be seen better. Getting his first good look at her, Harry had to stifle a laugh, as an image of an oversized toad in a pink sweater popped into his head.

"Excuse me," said the sickly sweet voice of Umbridge, "did I hear you say you worked for the Queen?"

The Chief Wizard gave a nod. "Yes, Madam, I am Her Majesty's Chief Wizard."

"B-But," spluttered Fudge, "you're not supposed to be here. The Queen is supposed to leave us alone!"

"I'm amazed he knows even that," said Harry under his breath, but the Chief Wizard either didn't hear or ignored him. Instead, he looked at Fudge and stated calmly, "Ordinarily, yes. However, I was explicitly invited here in case Mister Potter required an adviser, and am otherwise here only as an observer. Something, I will note, that is permitted in any event."

"No," said Fudge, "I won't permit it." He looked towards Umbridge who smiled and gave him a nod. Turning back to the Chief Wizard, he continued, "Whether or not you're permitted to observe, you are not permitted to participate. Therefore you're disqualified as an adviser to Mister Potter and Mister Black, at his later trial. I will permit you to observe if you insist, but I don't want to hear one word or I'll throw you out!"

The Chief wizard nodded, then looked at Harry and shrugged. Harry nodded, then turned to face the interrogators once more as the Chief Wizard went to sit next to Sirius. He noticed that Madam Bones was scowling at Fudge, who seemed to be unaware of it.

"Now, Mister Potter," said Fudge angrily, "there's nobody else here to help you stall. Take your seat so we can get on with your conviction."

* * *

Percy Weasley looked on as the morning's events unfolded. He was relieved when Potter had arrived barely a minute late, despite what was becoming readily apparent as the Minister's attempts otherwise. He had clearly been about to call to convict Potter in absentia without even giving him a chance to arrive.

He then watched as Sirius Black, of all people, showed up and not only claimed to be Potter's adviser, but that he'd never even had a trial in the first place. And while he had no idea what these Trial Protections they were referring to were, it was obvious from Dumbledore's reaction that Black was telling the truth, at least about the lack of trial. He understood the Minister's disqualification of Black as Potter's adviser, but wasn't sure about whether he was right to disqualify the second wizard just for working for the Queen.

The Queen! What on earth did Potter have to do with the Queen? Besides, wasn't she supposed to leave the Magical world alone? Why would the trial of a 15-year old boy merit her attention? Unless it's because she thinks this trial is unfair?

While all of this was going through his head, he continued to dutifully ensure that the dicta-quill wrote down everything that was said openly in the courtroom. When the quill wrote down Fudge's declaration of "Take your seat so we can get on with your conviction," Percy reached a conclusion to something he hadn't even realized he was considering.

"Percy Ignatius Weasley," he said as he stood up, "adviser for the defense."

* * *

When Fudge declared that it was time to get on with his conviction, Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out the Queen's decree. He looked it over one last time, then closed his eyes and marshaled his strength. He knew what he had to do, but no matter how much he believed it was the right thing, he still wished he wasn't the one to have to do it. He had accepted responsibility for revoking the Charter, and knew it was a foregone conclusion when he had, but he still worried about just how difficult it would make things for him and his friends. He was just about to open his eyes and speak the words he had been instructed to when an unexpected voice rang out.

"Percy Ignatius Weasley, adviser for the defense," came Percy's voice.

Harry's eyes snapped open, and he looked at Percy in shock. So did the Minister. In fact, everyone in the room was surprised and it showed.

Percy looked at Harry, and receiving a nod walked towards him. "Minister," he began, "I believe you misspoke just now. You cannot convict Mister Potter before he has had a trial."

The Minister's face was turning a shade of purple Harry had only ever seen on his uncle Vernon before, as he turned to Percy and shouted, "Weasley! What do you think you're doing. I forbid you from acting as Mister Potter's adviser!"

"I'm sorry, Minister," said Percy, "but Mister Potter is entitled to a proper defense, and it's clear that you don't want him to have one. Why is that? Could it possibly be because he's not guilty?"

"What?" shouted Fudge. "I... No... I am your boss, Weasley, and I order to you step aside as Mister Potter's adviser!"

Percy shook his head. "I'm sorry, sir, but my conscience won't let me do that. Clearly you won't let me act as his adviser while I work for you. Therefore, I hereby resign from the Ministry of Magic, effective immediately."

The resignation of Percy Weasley, a man considered by many in the Ministry to be the most rigid and rules-conscious person in the building, caused an immediate uproar. Fudge was banging his gavel and yelling at Percy for turning against him, as was Umbridge who all but threatened to have him arrested. Madam Bones was yelling at Fudge for his appearance, at the very least, of trying to rig the trial. Various members of the Wizengamot were yelling about various things, and even Dumbledore was wading into it, trying to get everyone to settle down.

It was in the middle of all this that the Chief Wizard came up behind Harry and tapped him on the shoulder. Harry turned to look at him, then nodded. The Chief Wizard set off a cannon blast charm, causing everyone to stop talking and look towards the source of the blast.

Harry took a deep breath as everyone's eyes had turned to him. He held up the Queen's decree, placed the tip of his wand on the Royal Seal, then said in a commanding tone, "By the authority of Her Majesty The Queen, the Wizarding Charter of Great Britain is hereby REVOKED!"

* * *

 **A/N:** Yes, it's a cliffhanger, and no, I'm not sorry. The buildup is over, the Charter has been revoked, and it's all downhill from here (so to speak). Thank you for reading this far, and we'll start dealing with the fallout in 2 weeks with chapter 17, the eponymous "Long Live the Queen!"


	17. Long Live the Queen

_Originally Posted 1/8/16, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 17: Long Live the Queen**

"By the authority of Her Majesty The Queen, the Wizarding Charter of Great Britain is hereby REVOKED!"

There was a loud "CRACK" sound and the seal of the Ministry mounted on the wall split in half and crashed to the floor, while the Chief Warlock's gavel flew out of his hands towards the Chief Wizard.

Minister Fudge had been shocked when Percy Weasley had stood up and claimed the position of adviser to the defense for Harry Potter. He had been incensed when he had been defied, and Weasley had resigned from the Ministry. And he had been startled when the interloper from the Queen had set off the cannon blast and gotten everyone to be quiet.

When Potter had declared the Wizarding Charter revoked, Fudge was confused. After all, the Charter was granted in perpetuity, wasn't it? But when the seal of the Ministry broke and crashed to the floor and his gavel flew away, Fudge realized that whatever he had previously believed, Potter had done just what he'd said. He started to panic, before the realization of exactly how bad this would look in the press hit him, and he did the only thing his brain was left capable of doing. He fainted.

* * *

When Percy Weasley had come to Harry Potter's defense, Albus Dumbledore had been both surprised and pleased. Surprised because Percy had made it quite clear that he was siding with the Minister and not Dumbledore regarding Voldemort's return; and pleased because he had always known Percy was sorted into Gryffindor for a reason, even if it took until now for Percy to realize it.

The Minister's reaction didn't surprise him, nor had Umbridge's to be frank. When the entire Wizengamot had begun shouting after Percy's reminder that conviction came after trial, he tried to step in and help restore order. Unfortunately, not being a part of the Wizengamot anymore, nobody paid any attention to him other than to tell him to stay out of it.

He was just as surprised as everyone else when the Queen's wizard had set off a cannon blast charm, silencing the room and drawing all eyes to him and Mister Potter.

When Harry had lifted a piece of paper and placed his wand to it, Dumbledore's eyes had gone wide. He'd raised his hand to stop Harry, but it was too late.

"By the authority of Her Majesty The Queen, the Wizarding Charter of Great Britain is hereby REVOKED!" came the voice of Harry Potter, and as if to answer it there was a loud "CRACK," followed by a crash behind Dumbledore's back. He didn't need to look to know what had happened; he knew the Ministry seal was the only thing on the wall, or at least it had been.

Dumbledore looked at Harry who returned his gaze with a hard intensity, before turning away and ignoring him. He hung his head, then slowly moved back to the spectator's gallery. He knew then that whatever else happened, Harry was no longer under his control in any way. He just hoped that it wouldn't doom them all.

* * *

When the Ministry seal on the back wall broke with a loud "CRACK," Fudge's gavel suddenly flew from his hand and into that of the Chief Wizard, who felt the wards shift to him. The Chief Wizard looked back towards the door, saw that it was ajar with Captain Lee looking in, and shouted, "GO!". He then ordered the wards to lock down the chamber, both sealing everyone in and preventing all spells from being cast.

There was the sound of a loud bell, along with the sound of the door slamming shut from where Captain Lee had been holding it open. The noise level in the room was starting to increase again, as Minister Fudge suddenly collapsed and the Aurors rushed to check on him. There were shouts of dismay as diagnostic charms failed, and they were unable to magically revive him as well.

Turning to Harry, the Chief Wizard said, "Well done, Sir Harry. I have taken control of the wards, and sent Captain Lee to inform Her Majesty. I believe I can handle things from here, at least until she arrives."

"Thank you," said Harry, looking and sounding tired. He turned and walked over to Sirius, sitting down next to him and relaxing into the chair as Sirius gave Harry a one-armed hug.

The Chief Wizard then turned back to the members of the Wizengamot, who were now starting to shout again, and tried to get their attention. He was about to fire off another cannon blast when Madam Bones silenced them with a shrill whistle followed by slamming her hand down on the scribe's table.

"Mister Adlington," she said, removing her fingers from her mouth, "may I assume that you have taken control of the wards, and are preventing the use of Magic in the chamber at this time?"

"Yes, Madam Bones," he replied, as a number of members of the Wizengamot gasped. "Allow me to address the entire Wizengamot and I believe you will have most of your questions answered."

Madam Bones nodded, and was about to address her Aurors when a shrill voice shouted, "You can't do that! And what have you done to the Minister?!"

The Chief Wizard turned to see Madam Umbridge standing, her face full of fury, pointing her wand at him. "I demand that you release us at once! Aurors, arrest that man!"

The Aurors turned to look first at Madam Umbridge, then Madam Bones, who just shook her head slightly. "I'm sorry, Madam," said one of the Aurors, "but I'm afraid I can't do that right now."

Madam Umbridge's face turned even darker, and she shouted at the Auror, "I'll have your job for disobeying me! I'm the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic!"

The Auror just ignored her, and continued to make sure that the Minister was comfortable having determined that he just fainted in all likelihood.

"Madam Umbridge," said the Chief Wizard, "please put your wand away. I'd hate to have to take it away from you and deprive Her Majesty of that pleasure." Turning to the assembled Wizengamot, he continued, "The Wizarding Charter is no more, thus the Ministry no longer holds any authority unless Her Majesty chooses to grant it." He grinned and added, "To paraphrase, The Ministry is defunct, long live the Queen!"

There was a murmur of, "Long live the Queen," in response, coming from several of the people in the chamber, which caused the Chief Wizard to raise one eyebrow. "Now," he continued, "in accordance to paragraph one of the Wizengamot Charter, I am invoking the Oath of Magical Fealty in the name of Her Majesty The Queen. Please take your seats and be quiet while we await Her Majesty's arrival."

The membership of the Wizengamot all started talking at once, either asking questions or shouting at the Chief Wizard. He gave them a few seconds, then barked out a gruff, "NOW!" Immediately the members of the Wizengamot, along with Madams Umbridge and Bones, shut up and took their seats. A moment later their faces all showed some variety of fear, as they realized that they had been magically forced to do so. Several of them tried to shout, but while they could open their mouths no sound came out.

Madam Umbridge looked like her head was about to explode; her face was purple with rage, but no matter what she did she couldn't stand nor did any sound come out. Raising his wand, the Chief Wizard said to her, "Madam Umbridge, please calm yourself. You're going to hurt yourself if you don't."

Rather than calming down. Madam Umbridge pointed her wand at him and tried to shout something. While nothing came out of her wand, the Chief Wizard pointed his wand at her and calmly said, " _Stupefy._ " The assembled Wizengamot were surprised that the spell worked; Madam Umbridge was too, for the split second before the spell hit her and caused her to slump in her chair and drop her wand.

Turning to Madam Bones, the Chief Wizard said, "Madam Bones, it appears that you, at least, are willing to discuss this calmly. If I release you will you conduct yourself appropriately?" At her nod, he continued, "Very good. Madam Bones, you may speak and move about the chamber freely." Turning to the assembled Wizengamot, he added, "Members of the Wizengamot, you may speak amongst yourselves quietly, but anyone who raises their voice will be silenced again. If you have any questions for me, please raise your hand and I will get to you in a few minutes."

While he was addressing the Wizengamot, Madam Bones had gone over to confer first with her Aurors, and then Percy Weasley. After speaking to Percy for a moment, she turned to the Chief Wizard and asked, "May I ask what your plans are now?"

"Certainly, Madam Bones," he said. Raising his voice and looking at the seated Wizengamot, he added, "The rest of you might want to listen, since this will affect you all," before turning back to Madam Bones. "In a half hour or less, I expect Her Majesty The Queen to arrive to personally oversee some immediate changes to the governance of Wizarding Britain. Am I correct in assuming that you are at least aware of the severity of the situation you face right now?"

Madam Bones nodded, her face grave. "I have unfortunately been aware of it for some time."

This caused the Chief Wizard to raise one eyebrow, and ask, "If that's the case, then why didn't you prevent things from going this far?"

Madam Bones looked embarrassed for a moment, before answering, "I was unfortunately in a position where I couldn't do much directly without compromising my ability to do anything. While I was able to quietly direct enforcement either towards or away from certain things, if I made too many waves I would have simply been replaced by someone who was more inclined to toe the line. I intend to offer my apologies to Her Majesty that it was clearly not enough."

To say the the Chief Wizard was surprised would be an understatement. Still, his job was to prepare the chamber for Her Majesty's arrival, and he still had a lot to do. "I suggest you tell that to Her Majesty when she arrives," he said. "Though I will be honest with you that I'm not sure she will believe you, given your role here today."

"I was unaware of the exact nature of the proceedings, nor that there had been an attempt to prevent Mister Potter from arriving in time. And once I became aware of them, it was too late to stop them." She gave a dark look in Fudge's direction.

"In that case, I suggest you speak to Messieurs Potter and Black, so you can be made aware of their situations. In the meantime I will address the Wizengamot's questions before Her Majesty arrives."

Madam Bones nodded, then headed over to talk to Harry and Sirius while the Chief Wizard turned back to the Wizengamot. Seeing a few raised hands, he said, "Alright, before the Queen arrives, let me instruct you on how to address her and then I'll answer your questions."

* * *

When their group had arrived at courtroom ten, Captain Lee had sent his subordinate back to the Crown Ambassador's office as planned, while he remained outside. After a few moments, he heard a knock on the door, and opened it slightly so that he could see inside. He watched as the Chief Wizard was disallowed as adviser for the defense, and the chaos that followed. Finally, he received the signal he was waiting for, when the Chief Wizard turned towards him and shouted, "GO!"

Not waiting for anything further, he turned and quickly made for the stairs that would lead to the lifts. As he climbed them, he saw a blond haired man in fine robes waiting at the top, holding a cane in his right hand. As he approached the man, who had been facing away from the stairs, he drew his wand behind his back.

The man turned, regarding Captain Lee with disdain, and sneered, "And just who might you be?"

Captain Lee didn't answer. Instead, he advanced on the man faster than his target expected, grabbed his right wrist with his free hand, and poked him in the ribs with his wand. "The question, isn't who am I, it's who are you," he said dangerously.

"Get your hands off of me," said the blond man. "Don't you know who I am?"

"Obviously not, or I wouldn't have asked," replied Captain Lee, tightening his grip on the man's wrist. "You have three seconds to tell me your name or else. One..."

"Or else what?" sneered the man, but that was all he said.

" _Stupefy,_ " said Captain Lee, who then caught the man before he fell. "Stupid pureblood," he muttered under his breath. Looking around, he saw no place to hide the body until he came back, so he decided to take it with him. He summoned the lift, then cast first _Incarcerous_ and then _Mobilicorpus_ on the body and brought it along.

Luckily for him the lift was empty when it arrived, and after putting the stunned body in the corner he quickly Disillusioned it in case anyone else entered the elevator. It was a good thing he did, since several people got on the lift in the atrium, most of whom gave him odd looks. Fortunately they all exited on level six, at the Department of Magical Transportation, leaving him alone to complete his journey.

Upon reaching level five, Captain Lee again cast _Mobilicorpus_ and levitated the body around the corner to the Ambassador's office. It wasn't until he got close to the door that it appeared, which he was glad for since he didn't know how to alert the others that he was there if it didn't. He knocked on the door, and after a moment opened it and entered.

"God save the Queen," he said quietly, as the other two soldiers stood in defensive positions with their wands drawn.

They both waited until the door was closed, then repeated the phrase. Captain Lee canceled the Disillusionment Charm and looked at the others. "I found him skulking about by the lifts on level nine, and he promptly challenged me. I'm not sure who he is, but he's definitely a pureblood snob." This last got some chuckles from the other two; as Muggleborns who had left the Wizarding world, none of them had much liking for purebloods.

Turning to the soldier who had originally stayed behind, he said, "Sergeant Collins, please return to the palace and send the advance guard through, then inform Her Majesty that the Wizarding Charter has been revoked. When Her Majesty is ready to come through, I want the remainder of X Troop and all of Zed Troop to accompany her, yourself included. Also, please ask Mister Halford to come through and bring a supply of Veritaserum. We'll need it to interrogate the prisoner."

The Sergeant saluted and replied, "Yes, sir," before Flooing back to the palace. Captain Lee then looked at the other soldier and said, "Leftenant Whitehouse, when the advance guard arrives, I want you to take them and secure levels nine and ten. Don't try to enter the Department of Mysteries, just seal the door and post at least four guards, two and two. I'm not expecting the Unspeakables to try anything, but better safe than sorry. I will wait here for Her Majesty before escorting her down; we'll have enough forces here to secure the path to the lifts without you."

Lieutenant Whitehouse nodded. "What about him?" he asked.

"I doubt we'll get anything useful out of him without Veritaserum," said Captain Lee, "although..." He held up a hand, then said, "Let's check his arms. A skulking pureblood makes me think he's at least a possible Death Eater. And if he is, I'm sure Her Majesty will be interested in asking him a few questions herself." He grinned at the Lieutenant, who returned it.

After determining that there was, indeed, the Dark Mark on the prisoner's forearm, they did a complete search of the body before re-stunning and binding him. While they didn't find anything on his person, they did locate his wand inside the handle of his cane, and moved the entire assembly to the far corner just in case.

* * *

Five minutes later, the Floo activated and eleven armed soldiers came through. Four of them immediately drew wands, while the remaining members pulled what looked like miniature submachine guns out of pockets, only to have them instantly enlarge back to full size. Once armed, they all drew themselves to attention and saluted Captain Lee.

Captain Lee returned the salute, then looked to the soldier who had remained with him. " Leftenant Whitehouse will lead you down to the courtrooms. You are to secure the area by the lifts, the door to the Department of Mysteries, and the route to courtroom ten. Do NOT enter the Department of Mysteries, just secure the door in case anyone comes out. Anyone in or entering the secured area is to be detained and secured until Her Majesty has passed. The same goes for anyone who tries to prevent you from reaching level nine. Once Her Majesty is safely in the Wizengamot chamber we will determine what to do with anyone so detained. Any questions?"

There was a chorus of "No, sir," along with a few head shakes. "Very well," said Captain Lee. "Get to it. God save the Queen!"

A dozen voices echoed, "God save the Queen!" before Lieutenant Whitehouse let the group carefully out to the lifts.

* * *

Not wanting to take chances, Captain Lee stunned his prisoner one more time as the Floo activated again signaling the imminent arrival of the Queen. A dozen more soldiers exited the Floo before a somewhat frazzled Assistant Chief Wizard, who immediately cast a cushioning charm in front of the Floo. The reason for it became immediately apparent, as before he could say anything Her Majesty stepped out of the Floo holding onto the arm of Sergeant Collins, and nearly fell before Mister Halford carefully grabbed her arm and steadied her.

There was a collective holding of breath by everyone present, until the Queen looked around and smiled before saying, "A most unusual mode of travel. I daresay I'll be glad when I don't have to do it again." Looking at Captain Lee, she said, "Captain, please prepare your troops."

As everybody resumed breathing, Captain Lee gave the Queen a nodding bow before looking at the soldiers who were present, even as a few more came through the Floo. "Goodman, Richards, Martin, Lloyd, secure the area in front of the lifts and summon one. If it's not empty, clear it and detain the occupants. Vicent, McGee, Hughes, Willis, secure the corridor between here and the lifts. The lifts are to the right at the end of the hall that way," pointing to the right of the door. "The rest of us will form up surrounding Her Majesty to act as a human shield. Wands and weapons ready, but remember that everyone we encounter will have a wand, so shields are critical if anything happens. Once the lift arrives and is secured, Her Majesty will ride down with Mister Halford and as many of us as will fit. I want everyone else except for the two teams securing this floor to take a second lift down if necessary."

Looking at the prisoner lying in the corner, he pointed to him and added, "McSherry, grab the prisoner and bring him with you. You'll come down in a second lift after Her Majesty has done so. Goodman, Lloyd, take the lift down with McSherry and the prisoner, then come back up once he's got assistance from someone downstairs. And if he so much as twitches, stun him again for good measure."

He turned to the Queen as everyone readied themselves and the two advance teams exited the now cramped office. "With your permission, Your Majesty, Mister Halford will act as your personal escort, with the rest of us around you. Should anything happen, he will be responsible for getting you back here and through the Floo to Buckingham. Agreed, Mister Halford?"

"Yes, Captain," said Mister Halford, though he didn't look like he was totally certain. Turning to the Queen, he added, "If that's alright with you, Ma'am."

The Queen looked at Captain Lee, nodded, then looked at Mister Halford. "Yes, Mister Halford, that's quite alright." Turning back to Captain Lee, she said, "I believe it's time to make my presence known. Please muster your troops so we can proceed."

"Yes, Ma'am," said Captain Lee with a small bow. Turning to the assembled soldiers, he said, "Alright troops, form up on Her Majesty and let's move out!"

* * *

Whether it was by luck, or some Magical recognition of the Queen, nobody was present in either the hallways or the lifts taking them down to level nine. As they exited the lift, Captain Lee nodded to one of the soldiers standing guard on level nine and quietly barked, "Status report!"

"All secure, sir," responded the soldier. "It's almost too quiet, if you know what I mean."

"Understood," said Captain Lee. Turning around, he said, "Keep your eyes peeled, everyone. This way to the courtroom, Ma'am."

At the Queen's nod, he led them down the stairs and towards the courtroom. However, when they arrived he found that the doors were sealed. Captain Lee knocked on the doors, but there was no response. After a minute, the Queen looked to Mister Halford and said, "Would you be so kind as to act in Black Rod's stead?"

Mister Halford gave the Queen a look of confusion, before realization set in. "Of course, Your Majesty," he replied, then stepped forward. Using his wand, he tapped sharply on the door three times and waited.

* * *

Minister Fudge had come around while waiting for the Queen to arrive, and after having been told unequivocally to sit down and keep his mouth shut, he had done just that. Madam Bones had spoken with Harry and Sirius long enough to get the basic facts of their stories, and then had gone to speak with Percy Weasley to try and confirm what she could since she couldn't do anything more for the time being.

The Chief Wizard had fielded a few questions from the Wizengamot, but quickly stopped answering them when it became clear that every answer was that they would have to wait for Her Majesty to answer them. When that happened, he turned around to find Albus Dumbledore waiting to speak to him.

"Ah, Mister Adlington," he began, "it's nice to see you're doing well, even if it's not under the best of circumstances."

The Chief Wizard looked at Dumbledore and asked, "Is there something you want, _Mister_ Dumbledore?" He emphasized the title, causing Dumbledore to frown slightly.

"I was wondering if you could tell me what the Queen plans to do with the Wizarding world," said Dumbledore. "After all, I am..."

The Chief Wizard cut him off, saying, "No, Mister Dumbledore, right now you're simply a spectator, nothing more. Her Majesty's plans are not mine to tell a the moment, you'll just have to wait like everyone else for her to arrive."

"I see," said Dumbledore. "In that case, might I speak with her once she arrives?"

"I'll be happy to let her know," replied the Chief Wizard. "I'm sure she'll inform you when she has some time to speak with you."

"It really is important that I speak to her immediately," implored Dumbledore. "There are things that I'm sure..."

Suddenly, there came three sharp knocks on the door, despite the chamber being sealed. The Chief Wizard looked distracted for a moment, then said to Dumbledore, "I'm sorry, I have business to attend to. Please return to the gallery until you are called for." He turned away from Dumbledore dismissively, and gestured with his wand. The doors to the chamber unsealed and several soldiers entered, taking up defensive positions.

Seeing this, Dumbledore backed away and returned to the gallery looking concerned.

After the first soldiers had taken up their positions, Captain Lee followed them, and addressed the Chief Wizard. "Is the chamber secure?" he asked.

The Chief Wizard nodded. "Yes, Captain," he replied, "All magic has been suppressed in preparation for Her Majesty's arrival. Shall I announce her?"

Captain Lee nodded, then turned back to bring in the Queen. The Chief Wizard turned to the assembled Wizengamot and announced, "Presenting Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith."

As he announced the Queen, she strode into the chamber and walked up to the front, where she looked over those assembled. A few members of the Wizengamot, along with Madam Bones, Harry, and Sirius stood and bowed. Several other members of the Wizengamot looked on with disdain, while the rest seemed uncertain what they should be doing. And Fudge looked like someone had just slapped him with a fish.

The Queen gave a brief smile, but it was clear from the rest of her facial expression that it wasn't a nice one. "We have heard many things about how our Magical realm has been governed lately," she intoned, "and we are most displeased."


	18. Trials and Tribulations

_Originally Posted 1/15/16, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 18: Trials and Tribulations**

"We have heard many things about how our Magical realm has been governed lately, and we are most displeased." The Queen looked around at the members of the Wizengamot, taking note of the few who were still standing, before she looked back at her Chief Wizard. "Thank you for your efforts this morning. Is there anything I should be aware of before I start making changes?"

The Chief Wizard nodded in the direction of Percy Weasley and Madam Bones. "Mister Percy Weasley unexpectedly resigned his position with the ministry in order to attempt to provide Sir Harry with defense counsel after I was disqualified. The Minister attempted to forbid him from doing so, but Mister Weasley insisted on following his conscience. Sir Harry revoked the charter after it became clear that the Minister had no intentions of allowing him any sort of representation, as well as predetermining the outcome of the trial. Also Madam Amelia Bones claims that she has tried to curb the worst of the offenses against Your Majesty, but was unable to do much due to the tenuousness of her position. I informed her that she would have to speak to you directly if she wanted to convince you of that."

The Queen nodded and said, "Thank you, Charles. I shall keep those things in mind."

At this point Dumbledore stood up and looked at the Chief Wizard expectantly. The Queen ignored him, simply giving her Chief Wizard a querying look.

"That's Albus Dumbledore, who we've discussed previously. He requested to speak to you as soon as you arrived, and I told him I would mention it to you."

"Very well," said the Queen dismissively. "Now that you have done so, let us return to the business at hand." The Queen looked back at the Wizengamot and pointed at Umbridge, who was still slumped in her chair. "And who is that over there?"

"That is the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister, one Dolores Jane Umbridge. I had to stun her to get her to stop ranting and raving about how we couldn't do what we were doing. Shall I revive her?"

The Queen gave a predatory grin. "Yes, I believe so. It will be very instructive to her to witness the upcoming proceedings."

"Yes, Ma'am," said the Chief Wizard. He pointed his wand at Umbridge and said, " _Rennervate._ "

Umbridge woke up, and blinked several times before focusing on the Chief Wizard. She opened her mouth to speak, but before anything came out the Queen addressed her. "Madam Umbridge!" snapped the Queen, "do not speak until spoken to! Do you understand?"

Umbridge turned to look at the Queen, her eyes going wide. She looked like she wanted to say something else, but all that came out was a meek, "Yes, Ma'am."

The Queen ignored the improper address and said, "Good. You would do well to pay close attention to what is about to happen, and keep it in mind before you say anything." Her gaze became even harder, and she barked out, "Where is the Minister of Magic?!"

Fudge winced at the angry tone of her voice, then stepped forward. "I am the Minister of Magic," he began to say before he was cut off by the Queen.

"Not anymore!" she snapped imperiously. "Cornelius Fudge, you're fired!" Turning to Captain Lee, she said, "Please take the former Minister of Magic into custody until suitable trial can be arranged."

"B-but, you can't," sputtered Fudge, before he withered under Her Majesty's glare.

"Are you challenging my authority _again?_ " she asked dangerously. Fudge opened his mouth, but his brain finally got the better of him and he shut it just as quickly and simply shook his head. "Good," she said. "Captain, if you will keep Mister Fudge in the gallery in case he is needed for the remaining proceedings?"

"Yes, Ma'am," said Captain Lee. He then went over to Fudge and pulled him off to the side, where several soldiers searched him and confiscated his wand before sitting him down in the gallery under guard.

"Now," said the Queen, turning back to the Wizengamot, "We believe we have several trials to conduct here before we continue. We do not mean show trials, we mean real ones. Evidence will be given and just verdicts will be returned. Do we make ourself clear?"

There was a chorus of, "Yes, Your Majesty," from the Wizengamot, though many of the members didn't look happy about it.

The Queen nodded, then said, "Sir Harry James Potter, please step forward."

There was a collective murmur from the Wizengamot, which stopped when the Queen glared at them. Harry approached the Queen from where he had been standing next to Sirius, bowed slightly, and said, "Your Majesty."

"Thank you, Sir Harry, for your loyal service this morning," said the Queen. "I believe that the original trial was to be yours, correct?" Harry nodded, and she continued, "Very well. Madam Bones, as the _current_ head of Magical Law Enforcement, please state the charges."

Nobody in the room missed the emphasis on the word current, but to her credit Madam Bones simply nodded and said, "Yes, Your Majesty. The charges against the accused are as follows: That he did knowingly, deliberately, and in full awareness of the illegality of his actions, having received a previous written warning from the Ministry of Magic on a similar charge, produce a Patronus Charm in a Muggle-inhabited area, in the presence of a Muggle, on the second of August at twenty-three minutes past nine, which constitutes an offense under paragraph C of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875, and also under section thirteen of the International Confederation of Wizards' Statute of Secrecy."

"Thank you, Madam Bones," said the Queen. Turning to Harry, she asked, "Sir Harry, did you produce a Patronus Charm as stated in the charges?"

Harry looked at the queen worriedly, then relaxed as he saw her nod and give him a brief smile. "Yes, Ma'am, I did cast a Patronus Charm."

"And what was the reason for casting said charm?" asked the Queen.

"There were two dementors attacking my cousin and me," answered Harry. There was a quiet murmur throughout the Wizengamot, and Madam Umbridge looked like she wanted to say something but couldn't.

The Queen notice Umbridge, and asked her, "Do you have something to say, Madam Umbridge?"

Umbridge opened her mouth to say something, then closed it again. After a moment, she shook her head.

The Queen narrowed her eyes, then spoke to Umbridge in a dangerous tone. "Madam Umbridge, we command you to answer the following question truthfully and completely: Do you know anything about dementors in Little Whinging, Surrey, on the night of the second of August?"

Umbridge squirmed in her chair, clearly not wanting to speak, but unable to resist the direct command of the Sovereign. "Yes, Ma'am," she said through clenched teeth, "I sent them."

The entire Wizengamot exploded with noise, as did nearly everyone else present. This went on for a few seconds before the Queen barked, "SILENCE!" and everyone stopped. Her face turning cold, she asked menacingly, "Madam Umbridge, are we to understand that you sent those creatures to attack Sir Harry in an area where innocent civilians could have been hurt as well?"

The Chief Wizard, his assistant, and several of the soldiers cringed, recognizing how furious the Queen was. Madam Umbridge looked scared at first, then puffed herself up and said, "Someone had to do something! Potter was challenging the Ministry and destabilizing society! Everyone was talking about how to silence him, but only I was willing to act. It had to be done." The last was said as Umbridge crossed her arms and nodded her head forcefully.

Over in the Gallery, Fudge looked stunned at first, and then dropped his head to his chest. He had no idea Umbridge was so ruthless, and knew it would only reflect poorly on him when his trial came.

The Queen took a moment to compose herself, as she was clearly incensed by Umbridge's admission. Finally, she looked at the members of the Wizengamot and said, "Members of the Wizengamot, we believe there is more than enough evidence to render a verdict. Madam Bones, if you will call for one?"

"Those in favor of clearing the accused of all charges?" said Madam Bones. The assembled Wizengamot all raised their hands as one, even those who Fudge had clearly expected to vote for conviction. The only one present who didn't raise her hand was Madam Umbridge, but she was ignored. "And those in favor of conviction?"

Umbridge started to raise her hand, but stopped when glared at by the Queen. Madam Bones nodded, then said, "The verdict is unanimous. Cleared on all charges."

"Thank you Madam Bones," said the Queen. "Now, before we continue, we believe we have the matter of Madam Umbridge's confession to deal with."

Umbridge looked like she'd been poleaxed. "M-my confession?" she asked plaintively.

"If I may, Your Majesty?" asked Madam Bones. Receiving a nod from the Queen, she addressed Umbridge saying, "Did you, or did you not, just admit to sending dementors after Harry Potter in Little Whinging, Surrey, on the second of August?"

Umbridge squirmed, then dropped her head. She mumbled something that sounded like an affirmative answer, though it could have been anything.

"I'll take that as a yes," said Madam Bones. "Dolores Jane Umbridge, you are hereby charged with the attempted murder of Harry James Potter and at least one Muggle through improper use of dementors. How do you plead?"

But before Umbridge could answer, the Queen spoke up. "Madam Bones," she said sternly, "We do not believe that the Ministry is the appropriate venue to charge Madam Umbridge. Additionally, since the attack occurred in a Muggle neighborhood, we feel that she should face our justice system, and not just yours."

"What!" shouted Umbridge. "No! You can't!"

The Queen rounded on Umbridge and glared at her. "We can, and we will," she stated imperiously.

"I refuse!" yelled Umbridge. "You're nothing but a Muggle! You can't do this to me!" Suddenly she drew her wand and pointed it at the Queen.

Before anyone could do anything, Harry jumped between the Queen and Umbridge and cast " _Expelliarmus"_ at Umbridge as she shouted, " _Reducto!_ "

Umbridge's wand sailed out of her hand, much to the surprise of Harry and everyone else. He reflexively reached out and grabbed it, then looked speculatively at his wand. As he turned to the Queen, several soldiers rushed Umbridge and tackled her to the floor before securing her both magically and via handcuffs.

The Queen smiled at Harry, taking Umbridge's wand as he offered it to her. "Thank you, Sir Harry, we appreciate your loyalty." Turning to face a now secured Umbridge, her face took on a frightening mien. "Dolores Jane Umbridge, we charge you with treason against the Crown. You shall be held for trial at the time and place of our choosing." Umbridge's face paled as she was picked up to carry her away, and the Queen gave her a nasty smirk. "And by the way, you're fired too."

While the soldiers securing Umbridge carried her over towards Fudge , the Queen held out her wand towards her Chief Wizard. "Please secure this, Charles," she said.

The Chief Wizard nodded and took the wand, placing it in the pocket of his robes.

When the soldiers carrying Umbridge dumped her on the floor next to where Fudge was sitting, he nearly jumped to move down one seat away from her. Whether it was out of fear of guilt by association, or just fear of Umbridge herself, it was clear that the former Senior Undersecretary no longer had the backing of the former Minister.

After Madam Umbridge had been unceremoniously dumped in the gallery, the Queen turned to Madam Bones and asked, "Are you prepared to hear testimony in the case of Sirius Orion Black?"

Madam Bones looked uncertain, and sounded as much as well when she responded. "I don't know, Ma'am. Nobody expected him to show up, and I don't even know if there's a case file to work from. What are your expectations for a trial?"

The Queen smiled, this time a much friendlier smile than she had given Umbridge earlier. "We believe that if you were to start with questioning Mister Black under Veritaserum, you would find that little else is required."

Madam Bones narrowed her eyes slightly, before they went wide with understanding. "You've already questioned him, haven't you? You're expecting the outcome to go a certain way."

The Queen nodded. "He has been questioned, and we have already rendered our own judgment in this matter. However, we believe it would be beneficial to have his case officially tried in order to ensure that the public accepts the outcome."

Madam Bones looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded. "I can see that," she said. "Very well. Members of the Wizengamot," she said, turning to them, "we will now hear evidence in the case of Sirius Orion Black with regards to the events of the 31st of October, 1981. Please keep in mind that anything you have previously heard about this case cannot be used to render judgment; only the evidence presented here matters. Please raise your hand if you have any questions."

Nobody raised their hand, so Madam Bones turned to where Sirius was standing on the far side of the gallery. "Sirius Orion Black," she called out. "Please come forth for trial before the Wizengamot."

Sirius walked to the middle of the room, bowed slightly to the Queen, and sat in the witness chair. "Madam Bones," he said, "I formally request that I be questioned under Veritaserum. I believe that Mister Halford there," he pointed to a wizard standing next to the Chief Wizard, "has a supply of it for just this purpose."

Madam Bones raised an eyebrow, then looked over towards the man Sirius had pointed out. "Mister Halford, please come forth," she said.

He looked up, then excused himself from the Chief Wizard before walking over to Madam Bones. "Yes, Madam Bones?"

"Please identify yourself for the record," she said.

"Andrew Halford, Assistant Chief Wizard to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth," he replied.

"I see," said Madam Bones. "And do you have, as Her Majesty stated, a supply of Veritaserum on hand?"

Mister Halford reached into his pocked and pulled out a vial of clear liquid. "I do," he said.

Madam Bones frowned. "With all due respect, Mister Halford, how are we to know for certain that this is indeed Veritaserum?"

He pulled out his wand, held it up, and said, "I, Andrew Halford, swear on my magic that this vial contains properly brewed Veritaserum. So mote it be." There was a brief flash, and then he said, " _Lumos,_ " before quickly saying, " _Nox,_ " after his wand lit up. "Is that satisfactory?" he asked.

Madam Bones nodded. "Yes, I think so. May I please have the vial to dose Mister Black myself?"

Mister Halford held out the vial and said, "Please don't spill it. We will have more need of it later."

Madam Bones stopped for a moment and looked at the Queen, who merely returned her gaze impassively. She then took the vial and went over to Sirius, who opened his mouth to be dosed.

* * *

After dosing Sirius with the Veritaserum and ensuring that it was working, Madam Bones quickly and efficiently established that that Sirius was not responsible for betraying the Potters, nor for the supposed death of Peter Pettigrew or the 12 Muggles. There was some noise from the Wizengamot as previously "known" facts were proven to be false, but nobody questioned the new information too loudly. It wasn't until Sirius was asked how he escaped from Azkaban that any real uproar occurred, but that was mostly from the Aurors who took offense to Sirius's ease of eluding the guards.

In the end, Sirius was cleared on all charges including the escape from Azkaban since he shouldn't have been there in the first place. He also was credited for time served for being an unregistered Animagus, and ordered to register himself as soon as possible. Given the current state of the Ministry, it was acknowledged that this might not be for a while.

With both Harry and Sirius cleared of all charges, the two of them retreated to a corner and hugged, allowing the stress of their situations to finally melt away. There was still work to be done, and things to be sorted, but with Sirius's exoneration it just didn't feel that urgent. Besides, they were both emotionally exhausted, and so took the opportunity to recharge while talking quietly about the future.

* * *

Once Sirius's trial was over, the Queen called her Chief Wizard over and said, "I have a question about the Oath of Magical Fealty. If I were to ask those who were bound to it to be judged by their own magics, would that work?"

The Chief Wizard frowned for a moment, then said, "Hmm..." He ruminated on the question for a minute while the Queen waited, before saying, "I don't know, Ma'am, though I think it might work. Unfortunately, the only way I can think of to find out for certain would be to try it and see." Looking down he realized he was still holding Fudge's gavel, and held it out to the Queen. "This is the Chief Warlock's gavel, and it came to me when I took control of the wards. But perhaps it should be you who holds it, at least while you are here."

"Thank you, Charles," she replied as she took the gavel from him. "That is exactly what I will do. Please adjust the wards to allow anyone to light up their wand."

The Chief Wizard concentrated for a moment, then nodded to the Queen.

Turning to the Wizengamot, the Queen raised her voice and said, "Ladies and gentlemen of the Wizengamot. May we have your attention please?" Waiting a moment while they did just that, she continued, "As we said when we arrived, we are most displeased with the way Magical Britain has been run under your watch. While we know that some of you may have done your best to see that just rule was applied, many of you clearly have not or things would not be as they are. Therefore, we charge each and every one of you with treason against the Crown."

There were gasps from the entirety of the Wizengamot, along with Madam Bones, the Aurors, Percy, Fudge, Umbridge and Sirius.

The Queen ignored the gasps, and continued speaking, raising the gavel in one hand as she did. "We invoke the Oath of Magical Fealty and command your Magic to judge each of you on your own merits as to whether or not you have satisfied your oath. May those who have not done so have their Magics desert them. So mote it be!"

There was a bright flash from the head of the gavel, followed by a number of cries from the Wizengamot as everyone tried to light up their wands. A bit less than half of them did so successfully, while many people sagged in their chairs as they attempted to light their wands and failed. And one older gentleman gasped and fell over, clutching his chest.

Madam Bones and the Aurors rushed over to him, as did the Chief Wizard. While they were unable to do any magic, the Chief Wizard performed a couple of diagnostic spells before shaking his head. "He's gone," he said quietly. "I suspect his body was too old to survive without his magic."

The Aurors started to protest, but Madam Bones stopped them. With a hard look on her face she said, "I may not agree with Her Majesty's method, but she clearly has the authority or their Magic would not have responded." Turning to the Queen, she said, "Your Majesty, I regret to inform you that Mister McLaggen here has passed away of old age due to the loss of his magic. May we treat the body with proper respect?"

The Queen nodded. "Please do, Madam Bones. While we are not happy with those who betrayed us, we will allow you to treat his body in accordance with your customs." She waited until Madam Bones and the two Aurors had moved the body to the back of the gallery before addressing the remaining members of the Wizengamot. "We are pleased to see that there are a number of you who still retain your magic, and thus have been found not guilty of treason. We acknowledge your innocence and grant you pardon for anything you may have done against us prior to this moment. You have been granted a second chance; see that you do not squander it.

"For those of you who have lost your magic, you have been found guilty of treason against the Crown." The Queen stopped, thinking for a moment, before looking over to where Umbridge was being guarded. "Charles," she called to her Chief Wizard, "please give Madam Umbridge her wand. We wish to see if she still retains her Magic or not."

The Chief Wizard nodded, then took Umbridge's wand and went to hand it to her. Umbridge's eyes were wide with fear, clearly terrified at the possible loss of her Magic. He nearly had to force the wand into her hand, and twice she nearly dropped it before he simply closed his hand around hers until it was secure. "Please, Madam Umbridge," he said, "cast _Lumos._ "

Umbridge shook her head, but the Chief Wizard just glared at her and repeated his request. She took a shaky breath, and stuttered, "L-l-lumos." When nothing happened, she closed her eyes, took another breath, and steadied herself before repeating more clearly, " _Lumos._ " She opened her eyes to see the tip of her wand dark, and her face fell. She sniffled a couple of times before giving out a great wailing, "Nooooooo!" as she dropped her wand on the floor.

The Chief Wizard picked up her wand, pocketed it, then looked at the Queen. He realized that there was no way he would be able to be heard over Umbridge's wailing, so he pointed his wand at her and said, " _Silencio._ " Once the sound of Umbridge's voice was no longer heard, he turned back to the Queen and said, "It appears that Madam Umbridge has lost her Magic as well, presumably due to her attempted regicide."

The Queen nodded. "As we said before, those of you who have lost their Magic, including Madam Umbridge, have been found guilty of treason against the Crown. There is only one penalty for treason , and that is death by hanging." There was a great cry from the Wizengamot, as several members began wailing, and others shouted various things ranging from pleas for mercy to invectives towards the Queen. "However," she said, raising her voice and holding out her hand palm forward, causing some of those shouting to subside. "However," she repeated, "with the exception of Madam Umbridge we will exercise the royal prerogative of mercy and withdraw the death sentence. Instead, you shall remain in custody until such time as we decide to have you released. In the case of Madam Umbridge, we shall reserve my final decision for now, but grant a stay of execution until that decision is made."

The volume of the Wizengamot rose again, as the Queen turned away from them. "Captain Lee," she called. He came over to her and she said, "Please investigate each and every member of the Wizengamot and determine if they still have their magic or not. Those who do not are to be taken into custody until it can be determined how to deal with them."

"Yes, Ma'am," he replied, then turned to organize his men to handle it.


	19. Meet the New Boss

_Originally Posted 1/22/16, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 19:** **Meet the New Boss**

It took nearly a half hour to process the remaining forty-nine members of the Wizengamot, determining who was and wasn't guilty of treason and securing those who were. Of the original fifty who were present for the trial, only twenty-two of them retained their Magic, and thus were allowed to remain in their seats. At first the Queen had merely watched the proceedings, but after a couple minutes she had gone over to Harry and asked to speak with him.

"Sir Harry," she began, "I would like to thank you again for your service today. While being granted a knighthood does not actually require it, you have demonstrated yet again why you deserve it."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," said Harry, blushing at the compliment.

Ignoring his embarrassment, she continued, "I would like to ask your opinion of this morning's proceedings before I arrived, and those members of the Ministry who were involved in it. Especially Madam Bones and Mister Weasley."

Harry nodded. "My original hearing was supposed to be with Madam Bones in her office. I've been told that she's strict but fair, and that she would hear me out before passing judgment. She didn't say much during the so-called-trial, but she did overrule the Minister trying to prevent me from asking Mister Adlington to be my adviser, and later started yelling at him for calling for my conviction before any evidence was given. I don't know anything else about her, but she seems like a decent person."

The Queen nodded. "And Mister Weasley?"

"Percy is, well, Percy. He's one of my best mate's older brothers, and he's always been a bit of a stiff. Like he's more concerned with what the rules say than whether or not they make any sense. He hasn't been talking to his own family for a few weeks now because he sided with the Ministry's official position that Voldemort wasn't back, while the rest of the family sided with me. I'm not sure he's ever really liked me, since he was a Prefect at school my first three years and I had a tendency to break the rules on occasion." Harry looked away from the Queen, not wanting her to know just how often those occasions were.

"Yet he came to your defense, according to Charles, did he not?" she asked.

"He did, much to my astonishment. After disqualifying Mister Adlington, Fudge told me to 'sit down so they could get on with my conviction.' I was preparing to revoke the Charter when Percy announced himself as my adviser; I don't know who was more surprised, me, Fudge or Percy."

"He was surprised at himself?" the Queen asked amusedly.

"I think so, at least at first. I know I was; he'd never given any indication that he was likely to do something like that in the past. When Fudge forbid him from assisting me, he said his conscience wouldn't permit him to do that, and quit his job so Fudge would have no say in his actions. I still don't understand why he did that, but I certainly appreciate it. I think his parents would approve as well, even if they aren't on speaking terms right now."

The Queen nodded thoughtfully. "So would you say that Mister Weasley is both honest and a stickler for the rules? And courageous enough to stand up for what he believes is right?"

Harry nodded. "Yes, Ma'am, I'd say that's exactly what he is. He was a Gryffindor like me, and the primary trait we're sorted for is courage. I'd never really seen it in Percy before, but it took a lot to stand up to Fudge like that."

"Thank you, Sir Harry, you've given me a number of things to think about. I believe I may have a job for Mister Weasley, once we deal with a few more things here today. Please excuse me for now, I wish to speak to Madam Bones about some things before we continue."

"Of course, Your Majesty," replied Harry, and they went their separate ways. Harry went to talk to Percy, while the Queen called first to her Chief Wizard, and then to Madam Bones, both of whom excused themselves and went over to her.

* * *

After speaking with Her Majesty, Harry went over to Percy who was now sitting back at the scribe's table looking rather lost. He looked up at Harry's approach and gave him a nod, but then went back to staring straight ahead.

"Thank you," said Harry, causing Percy to look up at him.

"What for?" asked Percy rather flatly.

"For standing up for me," replied Harry. "For trying to ensure that they followed the rules, even though I know you don't like me very much. For putting your life, or at least your lifestyle, on the line to try and get me a fair trial. You didn't have to do that, but you did." He paused, looking Percy in they eyes before continuing, "Thanks, I owe you one."

Percy briefly gave a wan smile, then said, "You're welcome, though I guess you didn't really need my help after all, given what happened next."

Harry looked thoughtful, then said, "Maybe, maybe not. But that doesn't mean I don't appreciate it. You had no idea what was coming, yet you still stood up for what you believed in." Percy looked at him questioningly, but didn't say anything so Harry continued. "I was still preparing myself for revoking the Charter when you stood up and announced yourself on my behalf. Up until then I still had some lingering doubts about what I was about to do, but when you were willing to quit your job just to make sure I had a proper adviser, I knew it was the only option. That took a lot of guts, Percy; you've proven yourself to be a true Gryffindor today."

Percy stared at Harry for a moment, then nodded. "I guess I did, didn't I. Thanks, I needed that. Now I just need to muster that courage and figure out what to do now that I don't have a job anymore. For all I know there isn't even a Ministry anymore."

Harry smiled. "Look, I know we haven't really gotten along, and we may never be friends, but I want you to know I really respect you for what you did today. When this is over, if there's any way I can help, don't hesitate to ask." He stuck out his hand, and after a moment Percy stood up and shook it.

"Thank you," said Percy, a little hesitantly. "It's hard for us Weasleys to accept help, but after today I'm starting to think that maybe I need to reevaluate all of my beliefs. I think maybe I should start by talking to my father, once all this is over."

"I think he'd like that, Percy. Good luck." They shook hands one more time before Harry went back over to talk with Sirius, and Percy sat back down at the scribe's table to think.

* * *

The Chief Wizard and Madam Bones approached the Queen, each giving a small bow and saying, "Your Majesty."

The Queen looked first to her Chief Wizard, and then Madam Bones. "Madam Bones," she began, "my Chief Wizard tells me that you have been trying to uphold the Charter as best you can, despite the political maneuvering of the Minister and other parties. While your actions here today have shown that this may be true, we hope you'll understand if we don't take just your word for it."

"Of course, Your Majesty," replied Madam Bones. "After what I witnessed personally this morning, I'm surprised you're even giving me a chance, in all honesty."

"Your actions, along with Sir Harry's impression of you, have convinced us that we should at least learn more before taking any action one way or another," said the Queen. "Tell me, what do you think about the fate of the members of the Wizengamot who have lost their Magic?"

Madam Bones was silent for a minute, knowing that her answer to this question would likely decide her own fate, or at least her job prospects. "I have mixed feelings," she finally answered. "On the one hand, the loss of one's Magic is just about the most serious penalty that could have happened to them, and many of them will have no idea how to live in our world without it, assuming their own families even acknowledge them anymore. And they definitely will have no idea how to live in your world. Plus, it's quite possible that many of them had no idea that their Wizengamot oath would make them beholden to you.

"However, I also cannot fault your calling them on their oath, given that it was their own Magic that judged them, and penalized them according to their own individual actions. And while they may not have known what that oath entailed, they should have, and failing to learn what the oath meant before swearing it is nobody's fault but their own. I will say that I appreciate your granting mercy on them with regards to their death sentences; while I understand that's what the law calls for, I do not believe that any of them personally committed any offenses that rise to that level, even if they created an environment where others could do so."

The Queen nodded, taking in everything Madam Bones said before responding. "We appreciate and agree with almost everything you said, Madam Bones, and we won't fault you for the one thing we disagree with since it's something that everybody will have to learn. Namely, that there is no 'our world' and 'your world' anymore. There is only one world, and we will all have to live in it together, even if certain parts are hidden from view."

"I'm not sure that's such a good idea, Ma'am," said Madam Bones.

"Why not?" asked the Queen, keeping her tone light.

"Historically there have been great difficulties with our two worlds' interaction, with both sides acting against the other out of fear and prejudice. Additionally, because wizards can do things that Muggles cannot, there have been problems with jealousy, as well as wizards taking advantage of Muggles in various ways." Madam Bones looked thoughtful, then added, "There's also the simple problem of those who have Magic simply cannot 'give' any of it to those who don't, making it harder for both sides to relate to each other at times."

"All valid points," said the Queen, "which is why we are not proposing that we simply integrate the two worlds outright. However, it occurs to me that there needs to be much closer ties between the worlds for a number of reasons. First and foremost, at least here in Great Britain, they both fall under our rule in some form or another. Secondly, while neither side is truly aware of the other, there is still a considerable amount of interaction between them whether they know it or not. And finally, much of the reason for fear and prejudice is because neither side really knows anything about the other. Do you disagree?"

Madam Bones thought carefully about what the Queen had said. Was it really that simple? That not knowing about each other was the root cause of many of the problems? She wasn't sure she completely agreed, but she didn't completely disagree either. "No, Ma'am," she finally answered. "I'm not entirely sure about it, but I can't find fault in your ideas either. Perhaps if they were investigated carefully before anything was actually done?"

The Queen smiled. " _Yes,_ " she thought, " _I think I can work with this woman, at least for now._ " She looked at her Chief Wizard and said, "Do you believe you can work with Madam Bones on these issues, Charles?" The Chief Wizard nodded, and she turned back to Madam Bones. "Madam Bones, we believe that your suggestion has merit, and will be asking you to work with Mister Adlington to further investigate the issues and ultimately implement the appropriate changes. However, before we get to that there is one more matter that we wish to discuss with you.

"While you have shown yourself to be someone that we are willing to work with, there is still the matter of how to deal with the fact that you were a significant official in a Ministry of Magic that as a whole tended to ignore the Wizarding Charter. We find ourself with a dilemma; how to trust that you or anyone else in a position of authority has truly not been working against the spirit, if not the letter, of the Charter. After all, anyone who has been working against the Crown is also most likely guilty of treason, just as the members of the Wizengamot were. Do you understand my concerns?"

"Yes, Ma'am," said Madam Bones, trying not to sound worried. "You wish to be sure that anyone in a position of authority has not been and will not be working against you, as well as properly punishing those who were."

The Queen's face brightened. "Yes," she said, "that's exactly what we mean. We don't wish to simply charge everyone with treason without a good reason, but we also don't want to simply take everyone's word for it."

"If I may," interjected the Chief Wizard, "perhaps a Magical oath from the department heads that they did not act against the Wizarding Charter? Anyone unwilling to take the oath could be held for trial, while anyone to does take it could be judged by the results."

"Would you be willing to make that oath," the Queen asked Madam Bones.

Madam Bones made a face, clearly considering the wording of the oath and its potential consequences. "I would be willing to make an oath, but I think there needs to be a change to the wording. Rather than simply not acting against the Charter, I would be willing to swear that I did not knowingly and indifferently act against it. After all, it's not only possible but in all honesty likely that I did act against it, but only either without knowing I was, or because it was the best I could do at the time."

The Queen nodded. "Your suggestion has merit. We do not want to punish people who were simply acting out of ignorance, though going forward they will have to learn and follow the law. Please work with Charles to draft the exact wording, and then we shall proceed with you taking the oath before we address the remaining members of the Wizengamot."

"Yes, Ma'am," they chorused, before going over to the scribe's table to get the wording sorted.

* * *

It only took them ten minutes to get the wording exact, since they already had the basis for it. By the time they were finished, all of the members of the Wizengamot had been sorted, with those who had lost their magic being moved to the gallery under guard. They showed the proposed oath to the Queen, who gave her approval after looking it over. She then turned towards the remaining members of the Wizengamot, who appeared to be waiting for her as they quieted down almost immediately.

"Members of the Wizengamot, those of you who remain have already had your actions judged by Magic, and have found to have acted in an acceptable manner. We now give you the task of witnessing what is to be the first of many others being judged for their actions. Every single department head will be given the same choice: to take the oath Madam Bones is about to take, or to be held for trial on charges of treason. Anyone who refuses will be given a fair trial, and will be convicted or acquitted based on the evidence presented at that trial. Anyone who does take the oath will be judged on the result of that oath. In any event, those found guilty will be punished based on the severity of their actions, again based on the evidence presented. Are there any questions before Madam Bones takes her oath?"

Nobody said anything, so she turned to Madam Bones and said, "Your oath, Madam..."

Madam Bones stepped forward, then raised her wand and stated, "I, Amelia Susan Bones, swear on my magic that while employed by the Ministry of Magic I did not, knowingly and indifferently, act against the principles of the Wizarding Charter. So mote it be! _Lumos._ " The tip of her wand lit up, before she extinguished it and looked at the Queen expectantly.

"Thank you, Madam Bones," said the Queen, taking on a more formal air. "Of all the people in positions of responsibility in the Ministry we have seen thus far today, you have shown the most integrity and willingness to work with us rather than against us. We accept your oath as proof that you have done your best to follow our laws and thank you for your loyal service. As a reward for that service we ask you to take the position of Governor General of the Magical Kingdom of Great Britain, and to work with our representatives to bring about positive changes in our Magical realm."

Madam Bones stared at the Queen in shock, then looked at the Chief Wizard before blurting out, "Did you know this was coming?"

The Chief Wizard chuckled, then replied, "I had a suspicion, but no proof."

Madam Bones gave him a half glare, before turning back to the Queen and bowing deeper than she had previously. "I'm honored, Your Majesty. I accept the position in the hopes that I will be able to leave this world a better place than I found it."

The Queen nodded and said, "Thank you, Madam Bones. May we realize your hopes by working together. To help that process along, we would like to appoint someone to assist you with some of the more time-consuming tasks that need to be done. Percy Weasley, come forth!"

If Madam Bones was shocked, Percy looked like he had no idea how to react. Eventually he stood, pointing to himself and asked, "Me?"

"Yes, you, young man," replied the Queen. "We have it on good authority that you have a fondness for the rules."

Percy stared blankly for a moment, missing the slight grin on her face, before shaking his head to clear it. "Yes, Your Majesty," he said, finally walking towards her and bowing.

"While not a department head, we believe this task is important enough that we would ask you to take the oath voluntarily, with no repercussions should you choose not to. Are you willing to do so?"

Percy stood up straighter and said, "I would be honored to take that oath, Ma'am." The Chief Wizard brought over the paper with the oath written on it, and Percy studied it for a moment before raising his wand. "I, Percy Ignatius Weasley, swear on my magic that while employed by the Ministry of Magic I did not, knowingly and indifferently, act against the principles of the Wizarding Charter. So mote it be!" He lit and then extinguished his wand, before turning to the Queen expectantly.

"Thank you, Mister Weasley," she said. "On the recommendation of Sir Harry, we offer you the position of Solicitor General of the Magical Kingdom of Great Britain. Your task will be to document all of the laws of Magical Britain, compare them to the laws of non-Magical Britain, and prepare a report of the differences and what needs to be done about them. We expect that some laws will make sense, some will need to be modified, and some will simply need to be repealed. You will report to Governor General Bones, and through her to us. Do you accept this task?"

"I-I," he stammered, before swallowing hard. "I am honored to accept, Your Majesty," he finally said, bowing deeply as Madam Bones had. "Thank you for giving me this opportunity."

"You're most welcome, young man. If you need any assistance, make sure you ask Governor General Bones or Mister Adlington," she replied.

"I will, Ma'am, and thank you again," he said, clearly overwhelmed by the Queen's generosity. An amused Madam Bones led him back to his seat while his head was clearly spinning, trying to get it wrapped around everything that had happened this morning. He had no idea how difficult the job would be, but right now he really didn't care; in the span of an hour he had gone from quitting his job at the Ministry, in a way that would probably see him blacklisted no less, to having been given a new job directly by the Queen. And he had no doubts that the latter was as much due to Harry Potter as the former. He definitely needed to reconsider his opinion of Harry, or at least his attitude towards him.

* * *

As Madam Bones was helping Percy over to his seat, the Queen motioned to Captain Lee who came over and bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty?" he asked.

"I believe you have a prisoner to be questioned," she replied.

"Yes, Ma'am, I do"

"I believe that now would be a good time to do that, while everyone is still present. The answers we receive may go a long way to securing further cooperation from those who remain in positions of authority."

"Yes, Ma'am. I'll have him brought in right away." At the Queen's dismissal, he went over to another soldier and spoke to him briefly, sending him to go get the prisoner.

"Madam Bones," the Queen called out. Waiting a moment until Madam Bones had come back over to her, she continued in a quieter voice, "We have two things to discuss with you. First, Captain Lee is bringing in someone who was taken into custody while he secured the route for our arrival. He has requested that the prisoner be questioned under Veritaserum, though we don't know the exact reasons for it. However, we consider it sufficient that he believes it is necessary, and so we are approving it. Second, once that has been concluded, you will need to determine the loyalty of your own employees first, and then bring the department heads here so that they may be given the option of taking the oath or not."

Madam Bones nodded. "Your Majesty, may I make the same offer regarding the oath to my staff that you made to Mister Weasley? I will need to investigate further anyone who refuses, but taking that oath will go a long way towards determining who I should or shouldn't trust."

"Do you have any other ways to determine the loyalty of those who refuse?" asked the Queen.

"If needed, I can question them under Veritaserum as long as two senior Aurors approve the questions beforehand," replied Madam Bones. At the Queen's questioning look, she added, "It's a way of preventing abusive questioning, while still allowing those who are suspected of impropriety to be questioned if the evidence is sufficient. In this case, so long as I keep the questions on point, I think I can get sanction from anyone whose loyalty doesn't lie elsewhere."

"Very well," said the Queen. "We approve of your plan. Please speak with Captain Lee and Mister Adlington so you can assist with questioning the prisoner."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," said Madam Bones. She waited to be dismissed, before heading over to the Chief Wizard. Just as she approached him, the door opened and a soldier walked in carrying someone over his shoulder. She watched as he was brought in, but couldn't see who it was until the soldier turned away from her to speak with Captain Lee.

"Bloody hell," she swore under her breath when she realized who it was.

The Chief Wizard looked up at her, then over to where she was looking, before asking, "I take it you recognize him?"

"I certainly do. That's Lucius Malfoy," she said. "I've long suspected he's been bribing the Minister, but I haven't been able to even investigate it. Not to mention the fact that he got away with claiming he was under the _Imperius_ curse during the last war."

At this point Captain Lee came over to them, leading the soldier carrying Malfoy. "Madam Bones, Mister Adlington," he said. "I found this _gentleman,_ " he coughed as he said the last word, "skulking around the lifts when I went to inform Her Majesty that the Charter had been revoked. He chose to challenge me when I approached." He grinned sardonically and added, "He lost."

Madam Bones couldn't help but chuckle softly. Lucius Malfoy was known to be big on words, but she always suspected that he wouldn't fare well in a stand up fight. "I look forward to questioning him," she said.

"Indeed?" asked Captain Lee. "Do you know who he is? He refused to give me his name, so I stunned him to be questioned later. He might have had a good reason for being there, but the presence of the Dark Mark on his arm makes me think otherwise."

"The Dark Mark is back?" asked Madam Bones. "I seem to recall it had faded when he claimed he was under the _Imperius_ curse to escape punishment."

Captain Lee looked around and spotted the prisoner's chair in front of the Wizengamot. "Can we put him in that?" he asked, pointing to the chair. "Then you can see for yourself."

Madam Bones nodded, and they all moved over to assist McSherry with placing his burden in the chair. As he was arranged in the chair, his bare left forearm showed the Dark Mark, visible for all to see. As others in the room noticed Malfoy being placed in the prisoner's chair, there were quiet murmurs around the chamber, but no outcry like before.

"So it is back," said Madam Bones, before she looked at the Chief Wizard and said, "I believe you should be able to secure him to the chair with your control over the wards."

The Chief Wizard concentrated for a moment, before the chains hanging from the chair secured Malfoy to it. Once Malfoy was secured, he called for Mister Halford to bring the Veritaserum to question the prisoner.


	20. The Times They Are a-Changin

_Originally Posted 2/5/16, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 20:** **The Times They Are a-Changin**

With Malfoy secured but still unconscious, the Chief Wizard called for everyone's attention. Not wanting to set off a cannon blast in the presence of the Queen, he waited a little longer than he would normally. Seeing that some people still weren't settling down, he turned to Captain Lee and asked, "Can you please get everyone's attention without startling Her Majesty?"

Captain Lee smiled. "Certainly, sir," he said, then walked over to where the Queen was watching the proceeding. Nodding at her and making sure she was aware of his presence, he turned away from her, stood ramrod straight and shouted, "Aten-shun!"

Immediately the noise level dropped, and almost everyone looked in his direction. Those who didn't were quickly informed by the people next to them, and within ten seconds the room was silent, waiting for him to speak. Instead, he simply motioned to the Chief Wizard, who nodded back at him before addressing the crowd.

"By order of Her Majesty, this prisoner, subsequently identified as Lucius Malfoy, will be questioned under Veritaserum. He was taken into custody during the security measures to prepare for Her Majesty's arrival, and as you can see he bears the Dark Mark on his forearm."

Those who hadn't noticed the Dark Mark before gasped, and everyone strained to get a better look. Someone from the gallery called out, "You can't do that, Purebloods are exempt from being given Veritaserum unless they request it!"

The Chief Wizard looked shocked, as did a number of the Queen's retinue. The Queen, on the other hand, looked furious. Turning to face the gallery, she said in a loud, clear voice, "Do you mean to tell us that those who were born to Magical parents are exempt from having the truth of their words verified unless they so choose?"

Several people in the gallery fidgeted, clearly not wanting to answer the Queen in the affirmative. Fortunately for them, they were saved by one of the still sitting members of the Wizengamot.

"Unfortunately, yes, Your Majesty," said a middle aged man sitting in the middle of the Wizengamot seats. "It's an old law, and one that should have been repealed ages ago, but it never was."

Turning to look at the man who had spoken to her, the Queen said, "I see. Thank you for your candor, Mister?"

"Davies, Ma'am. John Davies," he answered.

"Thank you, Mister Davies, we shall start the process of rectifying that now." She shifted slightly, taking on a more regal bearing, before stating matter-of-factly, "We hereby declare that nobody is exempt from being given Veritaserum based on their parentage or so-called blood status. Mister Weasley, please put that law on your list of those that need to be formally repealed."

Hearing his name, Percy looked up in surprise, then parsed what had been said to him. Picking up his quill, he responded, "Yes, Ma'am," before making a note of it.

"Now," she said, turning back to the Chief Wizard, "We would like to hear what it is that Mister Malfoy has to say."

"So would I," said Harry, walking over from where he had been talking to Sirius. "I'd like to hear what he has to say about the night he returned to his master back in June."

The Chief Wizard looked thoughtful for a moment, then brightened. "Ah, yes. His name was on the list you provided, wasn't it?" he said. "Perhaps we can kill several birds with one stone. Mister Halford, please administer the Veritaserum before I wake him."

His assistant nodded, then administered the requisite three drops to Malfoy, holding his mouth closed until he swallowed by reflex.

Once that was done, he turned towards Percy and added, "Mister Weasley, please make sure that his testimony is recorded correctly." Seeing Percy set up a dicta-quill, the Chief Wizard pointed his wand at Malfoy and said, " _Rennervate._ "

Malfoy's eyes opened, and he looked around in panic for a second before the Veritaserum hit him and they glazed over. The Chief Wizard waited a few more seconds, then began the questioning.

"Please state your name for the record," said the Chief Wizard

"Lucius Malfoy," he said, clearly trying to fight off the effects of the Veritaserum.

"Are you a Death Eater?"

Malfoy gritted his teeth, but the truth serum was clearly too strong for him. "Yes."

There was a cry of, "No!" from the gallery, and everyone watched as Fudge buried his head in his hands in horror.

"Why were you waiting by the lifts outside of the courtrooms earlier?"

"I.." he was still struggling against the Veritaserum, but after a moment he lost again. "I was waiting for Minister Fudge."

"And why were you waiting for the Minister?"

"I wanted to know the outcome of the trial."

"And why did you want to know that?"

"Urgh!" Malfoy grunted, struggling valiantly to keep his secrets, but then he suddenly relaxed, the fight having taken too much out of him. He took a deep breath, then answered, "I had promised him a reward if he were to get Potter convicted and expelled."

There were murmurs around the chamber, but the Chief Wizard ignored them. "What kind of a reward?" he asked.

"One hundred Galleons."

At this Fudge started sobbing quietly, until one of the guards hit him with a quick Silencing Charm.

"Was that the only reason you wanted to know the outcome?"

"No."

"And what were your other reasons?"

"The Dark Lord wanted to know the result as well."

Hearing Malfoy speak as though the Dark Lord was actually alive caused another commotion, ranging from shouts of "No!" and "He's lying!" to wailing and crying. It took a minute to restore order, allowing the Chief Wizard to continue the questioning.

"Has the Dark Lord returned?" he asked, figuring it was best to get this line of questioning out of the way.

"Yes."

"When did he return?"

"The night of June 24th."

"How do you know he has returned?"

"The Dark Mark burned, summoning me to him. When I arrived, he was waiting for me and his other servants."

"Excuse me," came the voice of Albus Dumbledore. "Might I suggest that any further questions along this line be asked in a more private setting?"

The Chief Wizard and Madam Bones both looked at him in annoyance, but it was the Queen's voice who answered him first. "No, you may not, _Mister_ Dumbledore. If the so-called 'Dark Lord' wishes to operate in secret, then the surest way to strike against him is to force him into the open. You should be less concerned about what _might_ happen if his secrets are revealed, and more about what _will_ happen to you if we find that you have aided and abetted a terrorist organization operating on our shores!"

Dumbledore paled at the accusation, as did several others. He nodded meekly and sat down, clearly unaccustomed to being treated like one of the schoolchildren he normally disciplined.

The Queen nodded, then turned to he Chief Wizard. "Please continue, Charles. We wish for everyone to hear the truth."

The Chief Wizard nodded, then resumed questioning Malfoy. "How did the Dark Lord return?"

"He used some sort of ritual to give him a new body."

"How did he not pass on when he was defeated fourteen years ago?"

"I don't know."

"Who performed the ritual to resurrect the Dark Lord?"

"Wormtail did."

"Who is Wormtail?"

"Peter Pettigrew."

"Who else was present at the Dark Lord's return?"

"Avery, Macnair, Crabbe, Goyle, Nott, Yaxley and the Carrows. There were others as well, but I don't know who they are."

Madam Bones growled hearing Macnair and Yaxley's names, but didn't say anything else. She did, however, grab a quill and parchment and began quickly writing things down.

"How many others were there?"

"Fifteen or so. I didn't count them."

"Who else do you know is a Death Eater but was not present?"

"Karkaroff, Snape, Dolohov, Rookwood, the Lestranges, Jugson, Mulciber and Travers."

"Why were they not present?"

"Karkaroff is a traitor, and Snape was believed to be one as well. The rest are in Azkaban."

"Do any of the Death Eaters work for the Ministry?"

"Macnair and Yaxley. There may be more, but if so I don't know who they are."

"Where is the Dark Lord now?"

"I don't know."

"How do you know where to find him when he summons you?"

"The Dark Mark guides me."

"Do you Apparate directly to him?"

"That depends. If he's behind wards, I appear just outside them. If not, I appear about ten feet away from him."

Madam Bones handed the parchment to the Chief Wizard. He glanced at it and then nodded at her.

"Were you under the Imperius Curse during the last war as you previously claimed?" he asked, looking at the parchment.

"No."

This caused the murmurs that had been going on in the background to get louder again, but not loud enough so as to interrupt the interrogation.

"Did you willingly become a Death Eater?"

"Yes."

"Is it possible to take the Dark Mark unwillingly?"

"No."

"What do you need to do to receive the Dark Mark?"

"Earn the Dark Lord's favor."

"How do you earn the Dark Lord's favor?"

"It depends. Sometime he will give it as a reward for performing a specific task that he gives you. Other times he is impressed by the things that you have done for him without specifically being asked."

"How did you earn your Dark Mark?"

"I impressed him with my skill at torturing Muggles, as well as being one of his biggest financial backers."

"How many Muggles have you tortured or killed?" asked the Chief Wizard, nearly growling as he did so.

"I don't know."

"Why not?" the Chief Wizard snapped, before his assistant put a hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

"Because I lost count years ago, and I don't know how many of them managed to survive."

The Chief Wizard made to draw his wand, but before anyone could do anything about it the Queen's voice cut through the tension. "Enough," she said, with an air of finality. After a moment, she continued. "We believe that while it is possible that the prisoner may have further information that could be useful, there is nothing more to gain from interrogating him here and now. Please secure him for the time being, and we shall determine what to do with him later."

The Chief Wizard nodded, then turned to his assistant and said, "Please administer the antidote, but leave him secured for now." He then turned away to speak with the Queen and determine her intentions.

"Yes, sir," said Mister Halford, who then pulled out the antidote and poured a little into Malfoy's mouth.

* * *

In the few brief moments it took for Malfoy to come out from under the influence of the Veritaserum, he managed to suppress his outrage at his treatment and instead took stock of his situation. It very quickly became clear that this was not the same Wizengamot chamber he had been in before; there were what appeared to be Muggle soldiers standing guard throughout the chamber, and half of the Wizengamot were seated in the gallery along with the Minister and his toady, Umbridge. The fact that she was trussed up like a pig for roasting, and everyone in the gallery was clearly being closely watched only strengthened his opinion that something radical had changed. The question was, what was it, and how could he get out of his current predicament?

Now that his head was clear, he looked around further and saw that the man who had been questioning him was speaking with an older woman with a regal bearing, clearly deferring to her despite her obvious Muggle attire. He then noticed Madam Bones, the head of the DMLE, watching him with a rather feral grin. He turned to her and asked as haughtily as he could, "Madam Bones, just what is the meaning of this? As a Pureblood, you know I'm exempt from questioning under Veritaserum."

To his surprise, Madam Bones just chuckled, before answering him dismissively. "Oh, right, you were still unconscious when that discussion was had. You're correct that you _were_ exempt from questioning under Veritaserum, but that's no longer the case."

Malfoy was stunned by that statement. How on earth had the Wizengamot voted to end that prohibition, especially without him finding out it was coming up for a vote? "How?" he asked incredulously. "There's no way the members of the Wizengamot would vote to end that."

This time Madam Bones laughed, and didn't stop for several seconds. "Ah, Lucius, trapped by your own worldview. The Wizengamot is no longer in charge of Magical Britain, just as your _good friend_ Cornelius is no longer the Minister. Things have changed around here, and it's just the beginning."

Malfoy frowned, then looked back at Madam Bones. "And just who is in charge now," he sneered. "You?"

Madam Bones just smiled. "Well," she replied, "I suppose in some ways the answer to your question would be yes, but the correct answer is no, I'm not." She pointed to the older Muggle woman and said matter-of-factly, " _She_ is."

"Her?" asked Malfoy, not understanding. "A Muggle is in charge of Magical Britain? Impossible!"

Much to his surprise, the woman looked up at him and narrowed her eyes. She said something to the gentleman she was speaking to, before walking over towards him, stopping when she was about five feet away. "Governor General Bones, we take it you haven't made all the facts clear to our prisoner?" At the shake of Madam Bones's head, the Queen continued. "We are your Queen, Mister Malfoy, and we do not take kindly to terrorists." She glared at Malfoy until he had to look away, withering under her angry stare.

As Malfoy tried to get his mind around the fact that the Queen was standing in the Wizengamot chamber, Madam Bones was wondering exactly what she intended having called Malfoy a terrorist. As it happened, they both got their answers when the Queen spoke up a minute later.

"Ladies and gentlemen of the Wizengamot," she said, raising her voice just enough to carry, "we thank you for your patience today, and ask your further indulgence. It has become unfortunately clear that there is much more to do today than we had originally thought, and we will not be able to remain present to witness all of it. Therefore we ask you bear witness for us, keeping in mind your oath of fealty, as additional members of the Ministry are brought before you to take the oath earlier taken by Governor General Bones and Mister Weasley. Anyone who refuses to take the oath will be held for trial, which will be arranged for by Governor General Bones and whoever she appoints as her replacement as head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, as soon as the reorganized Ministry is able. Also, everyone in the Ministry is to be searched for the Dark Mark, and anyone found to be in possession of it is to be turned over to Captain Lee immediately.

"We also ask that you act as advisers to Governor General Bones, assisting her with her task of bringing about change to the Wizarding world until such time as the Wizengamot can be properly reconstituted. While I am not disbanding it entirely, I am hereby declaring it suspended in all but an advisory capacity for a period of two weeks. After that we will determine whether the current system can be salvaged and new members appointed to fairly represent all of Magical Britain, or whether to dismantle the Wizengamot entirely and start fresh with a new system. I suggest you work diligently during that time to help answer that question as well as how to accomplish that goal.

"Governor General Bones, we ask that the convicted members of the Wizengamot be held here at the Ministry until such time as we can arrange suitable accommodations for them in Muggle prisons or determine alternate arrangements. Former Minister of Magic Fudge will also remain incarcerated here, as he is to be tried before a Magical court rather than facing non-Magical justice, since many of his crimes were committed against the Magical world and not just us. However, we shall be taking Madam Umbridge with us when we depart, so that she can be held under our guard while she awaits her sentence."

Madam Bones nodded, and said, "Of course Your Majesty. May I request the assistance of some of your guards until we have properly determined the loyalty of the Auror Corps?"

"We were about to see to that, Governor General," replied the Queen. "Until such time as you feel you have sufficient numbers of Aurors who have proven their loyalty, you will have the assistance of members of the Magical Military Squad. Captain Lee," she said, turning towards him, "please assign half of your troops to remain behind until Governor General Bones feels they are no longer needed here."

Captain Lee bowed slightly to the Queen and answered, "Yes, Your Majesty." He then turned to one of the other wizards in Military garb and said, "Leftenant Whitehouse, you will remain here in charge of Zed Troop when Her Majesty returns to the palace. If you need anything, send word immediately."

Lieutenant Whitehouse saluted and replied, "Yes, sir!" before turning to organize his troops.

Captain Lee turned back to the Queen and she nodded to him. She then turned back to the remaining members of the Wizengamot and addressed them once more. "Next," she began, "We hereby declare the so-called Dark Lord Voldemort, along with his marked followers known as Death Eaters, to be terrorists engaged in armed insurrection against the rightful government of Great Britain. Therefore, they are no longer the province of the Ministry of Magic, but will be dealt with by our Ministry of Defence and the forces available to it. Anyone possessing the Dark Mark who is taken alive will be tried for treason and sedition," she gave Malfoy a pointed look, "assuming they do not find ways to cooperate in exchange for leniency." She looked back to Madam Bones and added, "I believe that Mister Malfoy will be departing with us as well, as I believe there are more questions that he can provide answers to."

Malfoy stared at the Queen in disbelief, but she ignored him and continued. "Finally, we have one more item of business to take care of before we depart. Albus Dumbledore, come forth."

Hearing his name, Dumbledore blinked, pulling back from his worried thoughts about what the Queen's announcement would mean for his plans for dealing with Voldemort. He looked at the Queen, then smiled and strode over from the Gallery. Giving a very shallow bow, he said, "Your Majesty, thank you for..."

"Be quiet," she said sharply, causing Dumbledore to stop in mid-sentence. She spoke softly, so that it wasn't broadcast to the room, though others could certainly hear her if they tried. "We did not call you over here to speak, but to listen. As you currently hold no position in the Magical government, you have been allowed to stay mostly for security reasons, and otherwise simply as a courtesy. Now is not the time to deal with you properly, as there are more pressing issues that must be dealt with first, but we fully intend to have a long discussion with you once more important issues have been dealt with."

Dumbledore opened his mouth as if to speak, but a glare from the Queen caused him to falter. He subsided after a few seconds, and she continued. "You have held multiple positions of power in the Magical world for many years, and yet you have done nothing with them to improve your world. This ends now." Raising her voice so the whole room could hear her again, she said, "Albus Dumbledore, you are hereby barred from holding any office within the Ministry of Magic or on the Wizengamot, unless explicitly appointed by the Crown. Governor General Bones, please ensure that Mister Dumbledore is removed from any and all positions that he may somehow retain at this time.

"Additionally, while you remain the Headmaster of Hogwarts for the time being, you will need to demonstrate that you should retain that position for the future. To that end, once Governor General Bones determines it is safe for you to be allowed to leave, you will be escorted to Hogwarts by members of the Magical Military Squad where you will remain under house arrest until such time as we make a _personal_ visit to speak with you about the changes that will be required to be made there. Your willingness and ability to implement those changes will determine whether or not you will remain the Headmaster, and for how long. Do we make ourself clear?"

Dumbledore was speechless. Up until now, he had been one of the most powerful wizards in Great Britain, if not the world, as well as the undisputed Leader of the Light. Now, here, he was cowed by a woman nearly a head shorter than he, and a Muggle to boot. He desperately wanted to protest, but after everything that had happened this morning, he knew it would only make things more difficult rather than less.

As she watched Dumbledore struggle with his situation the Queen first gave him a few seconds to respond, then grew impatient. After nearly thirty seconds without any response from Dumbledore other than a few abortive openings and closings of his mouth, she narrowed her eyes and said, "Mister Dumbledore, do you understand your instructions?"

Dumbledore swallowed, then nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty," he said. "I understand."

"Good. We shall send word of when to expect us. Also, please remember to listen to Governor General Bones, as she speaks for us until we say otherwise." She waited for Dumbledore to acknowledge her, then turned to Madam Bones, clearly dismissing him. "Governor General Bones," she called out.

"Yes, Ma'am," replied Madam Bones.

"We must depart for the time being, but we remain available to you should you need to bring something to our attention. We ask that you keep us informed of your progress no less often than every other day, and that you not hesitate to ask for assistance should you need it. Do you have any questions before we depart?"

"No, Ma'am, though I do have a request. Could you please leave Mister Adlington and Mister Halford here, at least until we have the ministry secured? I believe their assistance will be invaluable to that process."

The Queen looked to her Chief Wizard. "Charles," she said with a grin, "would you be willing to remain until Governor General Bones no longer requires your assistance?"

The Chief Wizard gave her a tired smile and nodded. "Of course, Your Majesty," he said, and Mister Halford echoed him. " _I expected nothing less. I just hope Governor General Bones is right about how many of her Aurors are trustworthy._ "

"Thank you, Charles," she said. Turning back to Madam Bones, she said, "We intend to properly reopen the Royal Ambassador's office in the coming days, but for the time being you may contact us through the Crown Wizards and the Magical Military Squad. We leave the present state of Wizarding Britain in your hands; what the future holds will be determined by how you handle things in the immediate term."

"I understand, Your Majesty," said Madam Bones solemnly. "I won't let you down."

"No, we don't believe you will," replied the Queen. Looking across the room, she the called out, "Sir Harry, Mister Black, would you please accompany us back to the palace? We wish to speak with you further regarding this morning's events."

Harry and Sirius stood up from where they were sitting and answered, "Yes, Ma'am," before walking over to her.

She finally turned to Captain Lee and said, "Very well, Captain, let us return to the Palace immediately."

Captain Lee nodded and said, "Yes, Ma'am," before turning and calling out, "Lansdell, Penfold, stun the two prisoners and bring them with us. The rest of X Troop form up on Her Majesty." Waiting a moment as they did just that, he then said, "Move out!"

Those remaining in the Wizengamot chamber watched as the group departed, the Queen in the center with Harry and Sirius, surrounded by a mix of Magical and non-Magical soldiers and two stunned prisoners floating behind them.


	21. Ruminations

_Originally Posted 2/19/16, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 21: Ruminations  
**

Albus Dumbledore sat in the observers' gallery, watching the proceedings and thinking on both what he'd seen, as well as what he'd been told to expect after things were finished here. He knew from the start that today wasn't likely to go his way, but when he first arrived at the Ministry he had no idea exactly how far from it things were going to go.

It had started with the Minister's refusal to stop the sham that was Harry Potter's trial, not that he had expected him to stop it. But when Harry had arrived and refused to even discuss his defense, he knew it would only go downhill from there. His shock at seeing Sirius Black in the courtroom was only compounded by Sirius's open presentation as Harry's adviser, followed by concrete proof that Sirius had never gotten a trial. At that point he knew he had lost control of Harry, but he had still had hopes that he'd be able to influence things his way; after all, it was for the greater good.

With the arrival of the Queen's Chief Wizard, and the subsequent revocation of the Wizarding Charter, that last vestige of hope was lost. Worse yet, the arrival of the Queen herself, with first his snubbing, and later dressing down, had shown everyone just how little influence he retained in the new regime. Now, as he watched yet more changes being made right before his eyes, he considered his remaining options as well as his original plans.

Madam Bones was currently going through the department and sub-department heads, asking for their oath and taking those who wouldn't or couldn't into custody. She'd already cleared out the Auror corps, which resulted in a few surprises but no major revelations. There were half a dozen Aurors waiting to be questioned under Veritaserum, along with two who were being held for further investigation after being questioned, but the remainder of them had either taken the oath successfully or had sufficiently passed questioning to be retained on active duty.

There were also two Death Eaters who worked in the Ministry currently in custody, bound and stunned, awaiting transferal to Her Majesty's custody. Yaxley had been taken by surprise during the cleanup of the DMLE, and the presence of the Dark Mark had been confirmed here in the courtroom for all to see. Macnair had actually put up a fight, according to the team sent to capture him, but they had anticipated it and there were only minor injuries reported. He too had had the Dark Mark confirmed in the courtroom, and the entire Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures had been placed on lockdown until everyone in it had been cleared. As it was, the head of the department had yet to report for work, meaning everyone else was stuck there waiting for him.

He looked up from his contemplation after hearing a familiar voice and saw Arthur Weasley speaking to Madam, make that Governor General Bones. After a moment, Mister Weasley raised his wand and took the oath that everyone had been asked to take, then proved its validity by lighting his wand. Governor General Bones nodded and thanked him, and he turned to move away before spotting Dumbledore sitting in the gallery.

Mister Weasley approached Dumbledore with a concerned look on his face, and asked, "Albus, are you alright? You don't look well."

Dumbledore gave a wan smile and replied, "No, Arthur, I probably don't. And I honestly don't know if I'm alright or not. I feel like everything I've worked towards for so long has come crashing down, and I don't know what I can do about it."

Mister Weasley nodded, not knowing what to say to that. "Well, I've been told that I need to wait a few before I can return to my office. Can you tell me what happened with Harry? And how is it that the Wizarding Charter was revoked? Madam Bones told me not to worry about it for now, but I need to tell Molly and the children something when I get home."

Albus nodded. "Harry was cleared of all charges, as was Sirius. But before that happened it was clear that Fudge was trying to force a guilty verdict before even holding a trial. In fact, it was that action which resulted in Harry revoking the Charter."

"Harry?" exclaimed Mister Weasley, "but how is that possible?"

"I believe that the Queen had previously given him the authority to revoke it in her name. I don't think he really wanted to, but after Percy came to his defense, and even quit the Ministry after Fudge ordered him to stop, I guess he felt he had no choice."

"Percy came to Harry's defense?"

"Yes, he did. You should be proud of your son, he stood up for what was right, rather than what was easy..." Dumbledore trailed off, his mind suddenly whirling about many different things.

Mister Weasley looked around the courtroom, finally spotting Percy on the far side talking to a couple of Aurors. Not realizing that Dumbledore was already lost in his own thoughts, he excused himself to go speak to his son.

* * *

Percy Weasley was busy, but happy. While not part of his official job at this point, he had retaken the position of scribe while Aurors who had not taken the oath were being questioned under Veritaserum. Much to his relief, most of those questioned had not revealed any significant misdeeds, and with one exception everyone had cooperated without needing to draw wands. The one time it had happened, he'd ducked behind his table, only to emerge embarrassedly after it was over. He was currently finishing up annotating the latest Auror's transcript when he saw his father approaching.

"Hello, Percy," said Mister Weasley. "I hear you've had an exciting day."

Percy gave a little smile, which his father returned. "You could say that, though I think the word I'd choose is unbelievable." He paused for a moment, then continued. "Thank you for our discussion earlier this week. I know we haven't seen eye-to-eye lately, but you helped me understand that I needed to look at things from a different perspective."

"I'm proud of you, son," said Mister Weasley, putting an arm around Percy's shoulders. "I know it must have been hard, but from what I heard you did the right thing. I know things will be hard without a job, so if you need to you're always welcome to move back home with your mother and I."

Percy gave his father a confused look for a moment, then broke into a big smile. "Ah, about that. Yes, I did quit my job, but I've already gotten a new one. From the Queen herself, in fact."

Mister Weasley stared at his middle son dumbfoundedly, his mouth flapping up and down making unintelligible noises. Finally he was able to say, "What?" before his words failed again.

"After the Charter was revoked," said Percy, "Harry apparently talked to the Queen about me, and put in a good word. She offered me the job of researching and reconciling Wizarding and Muggle law, and preparing a detailed report for her on what's different and what needs to be changed in some way or another. It's going to be a lot of work, but I'm up for the challenge, and when I'm done I can probably get any job in the new Ministry I want."

"Wow," said Mister Weasley, drawing Percy into a hug. "I know I already said it, but I'm very proud of you, son. And I know your mother will be as well."

An embarrassed Percy returned the hug and replied, "Thank you. Now, since I can't really get started until the rest of this is done, I need to get back to acting as scribe so we can finish clearing the last of the Aurors." He pulled away gently, and Mister Weasley let him go.

"Alright, Percy, good luck. And please, once things get settled a little, come home for dinner. Just send us an owl so we know when to expect you."

Percy nodded. "I will, Dad. Say hi to Mum and everyone else for me."

Mister Weasley nodded and patted Percy on the shoulder, then turned and walked away while Percy went back to his papers.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore's thoughts were whirling. As crazy as today had been, it was nothing compared to the self-analysis he was performing after talking to Mister Weasley. He'd always chosen the right path over the easy one, hadn't he? While he had always advocated it, he'd never really assessed his own behavior to determine whether he'd actually followed his own advice. Now, after being treated by the Queen like a first year caught out of bounds after curfew, he was taking a look at his own behavior for the first time since dealing with the death of his sister.

" _You have held multiple positions of power in the Magical world for many years,_ " the Queen had said, " _and yet you have done nothing with them to improve your world._ " Was that really true? Wasn't he the Leader of the Light? Hadn't he worked for the greater good and kept the Darkness at bay? Only he knew that Voldemort would return, and that only Harry Potter would be able to permanently defeat him. And it was only after Voldemort's final defeat that things could really change. Wasn't it?

As the thoughts went round and round his head, one thing slowly became clear to him. Even if he had been right before, even if he'd done the best he could for the world around him, that world was different now. And while he had never been completely in charge, the influence he used to wield was mostly, if not completely gone. If Albus Dumbledore was to remain relevant in the new Magical Britain, he was going to have to find a new way of influencing people and events. The question was, would anybody listen to him?

He didn't have an answer to that, and as his mind continued to whirl he knew that if one came he might not like what he found. As a thought exercise he tried to focus on something, anything really, that he could follow a specific line of reasoning from start to finish and see where he might be able to salvage something, but there was too much going on. Eventually he had to fall back to using Occlumency to try and clear his mind just to settle things down, but even then it was going to take time to make some headway.

* * *

Dumbledore's thoughts were interrupted by a commotion in the entrance to the courtroom. Two Aurors were carrying a woman in between them, while she was shouting at them to put her down and other invectives. A third Auror followed a couple strides behind, out of arm's reach, carrying a wand that was probably hers. As they approached Governor General Bones, he recognized her as Madam Edgecombe from the Floo Network office, who was also the mother of one of his students.

Madam Bones looked up from the Auror questioning transcript she was reading and took in the sight before her. "Auror Savage," she intoned, "please explain."

Before the Auror could say anything, Madam Edgecombe launched into a tirade about being accosted in the Floo Regulation office and ordered to disrobe.

Madam Bones let her ramble for a moment before holding up a hand and saying, "Enough. You will get a chance to speak once I determine what's happening. Auror Savage, report."

"Yes, Ma'am. We were checking everyone in the Department of Magical Transportation for Dark Marks when Madam Edgecombe refused to comply. Since we didn't have any female Aurors with us, and given the level of protest she raised, we decided to simply bring her down here on suspicion of possessing the Dark Mark and having you explain things to her."

Madam Edgecombe began to splutter, and was again silenced by a look from Madam Bones. "Madam Edgecombe, you have a simple choice. You can either bare your forearms and let us see whether or not you have a Dark Mark, or I will simply order your sleeves removed to achieve the same result. Which will it be?" asked Madam Bones.

"You can't do this to me," shouted Madam Edgecombe, "I know my rights as a pureblood!"

Madam Bones gave a hard-edged smile, and said, "Things have changed, Madam. By order of Her Majesty the Queen, everyone entering or present in the Ministry is to be checked for the Dark Mark. As Governor General of Magical Britain, it is my job to enforce Her Majesty's orders. Now bare your forearms, or I'll do it for you!"

Madam Edgecombe's face fell as Madam Bones explained the new state of affairs, then turned fearful as she was again ordered to bare her forearms. She tried to fight once more, but Madam Bones was having none of it. Pulling her wand, she pointed it at Madam Edgecombe and said, " _Stupefy._ "

Madam Edgecombe slumped, unconscious, and the Aurors took the time to check her forearms. When they did so, the reason for her reluctance to show them was clear, as the Dark Mark showed clearly on her left forearm. They then cut her left sleeve off to prevent any questions about its presence, before binding her both magically and physically. The were about to take her over to where Yaxley and Macnair were being kept, but Madam Bones stopped them.

" _Rennervate,_ " she said, waking Madam Edgecombe back up. Madam Edgecombe's eyes went wide as she realized her Dark Mark was exposed, and that while no longer stunned she was thoroughly restrained. "Madam Edgecombe," said Madam Bones, "as you are in possession of the Dark Mark, you are hereby charged with treason and sedition against the Crown. You will be remanded to the custody of Her Majesty's Magical Military Squad for interrogation, after which your fate will be determined by Her Majesty's courts. I would advise you to cooperate as fully as possible, as the penalty for treason is death by hanging." Turning to the Aurors holding her, she added, "Put her with the other traitors," before turning her back.

As Madam Edgecombe was re-stunned and placed with the other two prisoners in possession of the Dark Mark, Dumbledore shuddered and decided that he did not want to get on Governor General Bones's bad side either.

* * *

It was nearly noon when Her Majesty and company returned to Buckingham Palace via the Floo from the Crown Ambassador's office. The first thing the Queen did was declare that there had to be a better way to get to and from the Ministry; Harry couldn't help but agree with her, but the Crown Wizards who were waiting for them apologetically stated that there unfortunately wasn't. After asking them to investigate the possibilities, she turned to Captain Lee and said, "Captain, I need you to take care of three things for me right away."

"Yes, Ma'am," replied Captain Lee, giving a nodded bow.

"First, have your men find a place where Madam Umbridge can be quietly kept in isolation for a few weeks. I want to give her an opportunity to think about her crimes before I give her a final chance at repentance. She is to be fed appropriately but plainly, and other than the times she is fed or taken for showers and exercise, she is to have no interaction with anyone. You may keep her stunned until you place her into her cell, but afterwards no magic is to be performed around her. Am I clear?"

"Yes, Ma'am," he responded. "I know just the place."

"Good. Second, I want you to take Mister Malfoy and give him a full military interrogation. Double check what we already know, and find out anything else you can. Make a note of whether or not he cooperates, and let him know what awaits him for certain if he doesn't. Also, be prepared to do the same with any other prisoners that Madam Bones sends to us. If you need Magical assistance with the interrogation, the Crown Wizards will be at your disposal."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Finally, I want to see you and Major French in my study at three o'clock this afternoon to discuss how to deal with this terrorist organization and eliminate the threat to the realm. I do not expect to have an answer by then, just a discussion of what we can and should do."

"We'll be there, Ma'am. May I dismiss my men to return to their duties?"

"Yes, Captain, and thank you all for your service this morning."

Captain Lee gave a slightly deeper bow, then turned to his men. "Lansdell, Penfold, bring the prisoners and place them in the holding cells while we organize transport for prisoner number one. Prisoner number two is to be watched at all times by at least one Wizard. I want everyone else in the briefing room in ten, make that fifteen minutes. Dismissed!"

The soldiers moved out one and two at a time, until only Captain Lee was left. He turned back to the Queen and said, "By your leave, Ma'am?"

"Of course, Captain. I will see you this afternoon at three."

"Yes, Ma'am," said Captain Lee. He then gave another small bow before turning and leaving as well.

The Queen watched them go, then turned to Harry and Sirius and softened her expression. "Sir Harry," she said, "I would be pleased to have you and your godfather join me for lunch. While we have discussed much about the situation with the Magical world, I would like to get to know my newest knight a little better without the urgency of your trial hurrying us along."

"Thank you, Ma'am" said Harry, looking over at Sirius. Getting a nod in response, he continued, "We would be honored to join you."

"Very good," replied the Queen. Looking over at one of the Crown Wizards, she asked, "Will you please escort Sir Harry and Mister Black to freshen up, and then bring them to my private dining room." Addressing the other, she added, "Please summon my steward."

Both wizards chorused, "Yes, Ma'am." The one she addressed second picked up the phone to call for a steward, while the first said, "If you'll follow me, please," and led Harry and Sirius out of the Crown Wizards' office.

* * *

Harry and Sirius ate a quiet lunch with the Queen, with Her Majesty asking questions about their lives and Harry and Sirius doing their best to answer them. It was hard for Harry to open up about his time at the Dursley's, but Her Majesty seemed to know when to push and when to back off, and he found himself relaxing a little and telling her more than he expected. In many ways, she reminded him of how he had first thought of Dumbledore; she was a famous, powerful person who could also be a kind grandparent when she wanted to be.

As he was answering a question about his schooling before Hogwarts, admitting that he had lowered his performance to avoid getting better grades than Dudley, he realized that he was telling the Queen things that he'd never even told Sirius. He looked at his godfather, who was watching him with sadness in his eyes. As he finished his story, Sirius gave him a wan smile, and he felt his own eyes tearing up.

"I'm sorry I never told you," said Harry.

Sirius shook his head. "It's OK, we'll have plenty of time to talk about the past. I'm just glad you're getting it off your chest."

The sat there for a few seconds, looking at each other and thinking about future conversations, before the Queen cleared her throat to get their attention.

"Mister Black," she said, "If I remember correctly, last night you requested to formally adopt Sir Harry in the non-Magical world, yes?"

Sirius nodded at her, then looked at Harry. "Assuming you still want to, pup?"

Harry nodded then looked at the Queen. "Yes, I'd like that very much."

The Queen smiled, saying, "That answers my next question, thank you. While I cannot simply make it happen, I would be happy to assist in that process in any way that I can. If nothing else, I can put you in touch with an excellent solicitor with experience in adoption cases and provide a reference if needed." The last was said with a slight smirk, causing Harry and Sirius to chuckle.

"Yes, please," answered Sirius. "I wouldn't have the foggiest idea of what to do, I just know I don't want anything to prevent Harry and I from being together as a family."

Harry just nodded, tears of happiness dripping slowly down his face as he was overcome by emotion. He had only vaguely remembered the conversation from last night because he had been so tired, but now it came back to him clearly. Sirius planned to adopt him in both worlds, and one way or another they were going to be a family.

The Queen nodded, and they finished their meal in silence, each just enjoying the knowledge that things were going to work out for them.


	22. What Title to Use?

_Originally Posted 3/4/16, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 22: What Title to Use?  
**

After lunch, the Queen dismissed Harry and Sirius, asking them to come back for the three o'clock meeting with Major French and Captain Lee. They had returned to their rooms where they'd each taken a brief nap, enjoying the comfort of the beds for a second time.

They'd had to get back up all too soon, but both felt refreshed and ready to face the coming discussion. Neither was certain exactly how the MMS would handle Voldemort, but they knew it was likely to be something they weren't expecting. The were escorted back to the Queen's Study shortly before three, and were joined by the two soldiers a minute later. At exactly three, the steward knocked on the door, and when it opened he announced the Queen's guests and led them in.

After the initial pleasantries, the Queen got down to business, addressing Major French. "Major, as I'm sure you've been briefed already, there is a Magical terrorist group operating on British soil. The last time they did so they engaged in open warfare against British subjects, both Magical and non-Magical. This is not acceptable, and I expect you to deal with them post-haste. This is now a Ministry of Defence operation, and I expect you to use all available resources to eliminate the threat. Have I made myself sufficiently clear?"

The Major nodded and said, "Yes, Ma'am. We will do our best to eliminate the threat as soon as possible. If I may ask a few questions about our remit?"

"You may," she said.

"Are there any Magical resources we can call upon to assist with any operations we undertake, or is the Magical Military Squad the only source of wizards I may call upon?"

"I will make the Crown Wizards available to you if they can be of assistance, but other than that I do not think there are sufficient resources from the former Ministry of Magic to supplement your forces. I will ask, but plan for now as though the answer is no."

"Thank you, that will make planning clearer. Are we required to take these terrorists alive, or are we permitted to eliminate them?"

"Anyone who surrenders or otherwise voluntarily gives themselves up is to be treated as a prisoner and charged with treason and sedition. Anyone engaging in hostile activity is to be considered an unlawful combatant and may be treated accordingly. Additionally, anyone in possession of the Dark Mark should be assumed to be armed and dangerous, as well as having a history of committing violent offenses. I will not order you to take any particular action when dealing with them, but I do not expect many of them to give up easily, if at all."

Major French and Captain Lee both nodded, as did Harry and Sirius after a minute.

"I believe we have an understanding, Your Majesty," said the Major. "Do we have any ideas where this organization is based at this time? I know the one prisoner you interrogated already was unable to provide that information."

"Not that I am aware of, unless Sir Harry or Mister Black have any suggestions," said the Queen.

The Major looked at Harry and Sirius, who thought for a moment. "I don't know if he's staying there, but he pointed out his father's house in the distance after he was resurrected in the graveyard. But I only know his name, Tom Riddle, and nothing else."

"What about Snape?" asked Sirius.

"Of course!" said Harry, snapping his fingers. "Malfoy said Snape was thought to have been a traitor, but that implies he's not actually, or possibly is a double agent."

"Do you know where to find this Snape," asked the Major.

"He's probably at Hogwarts," replied Sirius. "Between his teaching and spying for the Order, Dumbledore likes to keep him close. Plus, if he's really working for Dumbledore he might be just who you need to infiltrate Voldemort's camp."

Both the Major and Captain Lee chuckled at this. The Queen said, "May I ask what's so funny?"

At Her Majesty's inquiry, both soldiers stopped and Major French said, "We have no intention of infiltrating his operation unless we absolutely have to. We just need to know where it is, and then we'll move against them hard and fast."

"Understandable," she said. "What about the potential for civilian casualties?"

"That's why we need to find their base fast. If we can find it soon enough, we can get Sport and Social, I mean SAS, to clear out the civilians quietly before we strike. But that assumes we can find them in time to move non-Magical troops in to assist. Otherwise, we'll just have to go in quickly and hope for the best."

"Well, I'd say Snape's your best chance to find him quickly," said Sirius. "He'll probably be summoned to give Dumbledore's side of things as soon as Voldemort hears about what's happened to the Ministry."

"Then I think we need to get him and interrogate him right away," said the Major. "In the meantime, I'll see if we can get SAS on alert to help us, along with out friends in the RAF."

"The RAF?" asked the Queen worriedly. "You're not thinking of bombing them, I hope."

"Not exactly, Ma'am," replied Captain Lee. "We need to take out their wards, and we've come up with a way to do it using physics. We use inert training bombs with special runes painted on them as wardbusters. There's no explosives involved, and it should only take one or two to do the job. Once the wards are down, we can go it and do our thing as needed."

"As long as there's no danger to the public," she said, not sounding convinced.

"We won't use them if there is," said Major French. "But I'd rather have them on standby than not have them available when we need them."

"Very well. And once the wards are down?"

"We treat them like any other terrorist group. We go in hard and fast, and anything that isn't actively surrendering gets taken down. The only difference is that the targets are using wands instead of guns. While we've never actually had to do it, this is what we've all been trained for, and now it's time to put that training to good use."

Captain Lee was just nodding in agreement, while Harry and Sirius both looked unsure of what to say. Her Majesty looked thoughtful for a moment, then gave a sharp nod. "Indeed it is, Major. Please keep me informed of any progress you make towards resolving this issue, but I won't take up any more of your time, nor do I need to know any operational details. I will inform the Prime Minister that he is to provide full support to your operation, and will make sure that both the Defence Minister and the Home Secretary are informed as well within the bounds of the Statute of Secrecy. If you need SAS support, you'll get it."

"Thank you, Ma'am", he replied. "Is there anything else you wish to discuss before we move out?"

"No, I don't think so." She turned to Harry and Sirius. "Sir Harry, Mister Black, I would ask that you remain here at Buckingham Palace until this operation is complete. Both for your safety, as well as for your knowledge of the enemy. I will make sure you have access to anything you need, and that you're not too bored." The last was said with a grin, which Harry and Sirius returned.

"Thank you, Ma'am", said Sirius. "Perhaps you can have someone assist me with the paperwork needed to adopt Harry while we're waiting?"

"I believe I can do that, yes," she said, and pushed a button on her phone. "Major, Captain, please provide a daily summary briefing for my morning reports, and if you need to speak with me let my scheduler know. I'll make her aware that you have priority."

"Yes, Ma'am, thank you, Ma'am" said the Major.

The door buzzed and the Queen pushed the button to unlock it. A steward entered and bowed, saying, "Ma'am?"

"Sir Harry and Mister Black will be remaining here at Buckingham for a few days while some matters are sorted out. Please escort them to a small conference room, then notify Mister Adlington's office where they are in case they need to speak to them. Also, please ensure that their accommodations are maintained until they leave."

"Yes, Ma'am. Anything else?" asked the steward.

"While I know this goes without saying, I will stress the need for discretion regarding their presence here until I say otherwise," said the Queen seriously.

"I understand, Ma'am. It won't be a problem."

"Thank you," replied the Queen. She turned to Harry and Sirius, saying, "I will send a message to Mister Adlington's office requesting that they provide you with the necessary paperwork and someone to assist you if needed."

"Thank you, Ma'am," chorused Harry and Sirius, who then grinned at each other.

"You're most welcome," she replied, clearly dismissing them. She then turned to the soldiers and said, "Major, Captain, I look forward to your report in the morning, and leave you to your duties."

Both stood and saluted, saying, "Yes, Ma'am," before turning and departing. Harry and Sirius also stood, bowed and said, "Ma'am", before turning and following the steward out.

Once she was alone, the Queen allowed herself to relax a little and spend a minute collecting her thoughts before she turned to see what she could accomplish before tea time. As much as she agreed with the necessity of everything that was happening, she wished she could have pawned some of it off onto Prince Charles to deal with.

Unfortunately, between his own personal issues regarding his separation from Diana, combined with the events surrounding the 50th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, he was just too visible right now to disappear for a couple of days to deal with this. While she, too, had a rather high profile, her schedule had allowed her to disappear for a morning, as well as scheduling a few unplanned meetings without upsetting too many people. Perhaps it was for the best that Charles was in the spotlight right now, it kept a lot of eyes off of her so long as she wasn't too blatant about things.

* * *

As five o'clock approached, Madam Bones was gratified to see that the list of people who still needed to be cleared was rapidly dwindling to nothing, and that there hadn't been any more Death Eaters found among the Ministry employees and visitors. They had finally administered the oath to all of the department heads, and were nearly finished searching all of the active employees for the Dark Mark. In addition to three department heads who had refused to take the oath, they had arrested five others who had resisted the search for the Dark Mark, not including the three Death Eaters and two Aurors who had proven to be untrustworthy under Veritaserum.

Of those five employees, at least one of them would likely be released without a trial; rumor had it that they were an unexposed werewolf, but under the new rules she didn't think that would be considered a crime by itself. They would certainly be investigated, but unless they had done something else worthy of being tried, she had more important things to worry about. Plus, given Her Majesty's emphasis on removing inequality, she suspected that more than just werewolves would be seeing their rights increased in short order.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of a soldier she hadn't seen before. He walked over to her and saluted, saying, "Major French sends his compliments, Ma'am," before holding out a folded letter.

She took the paper and looked him over briefly, noting the name on his uniform before replying, "Thank you, Leftenant Flinn. Do you require a response?"

"No, Ma'am, but I do need to speak to Leftenant Whitehouse," he said.

"Very well, you may continue your duties," she said, dismissing him before she opened the letter and read it. After reviewing it twice, she folded it back up and looked around the chamber, spotting her target in a corner of the gallery. Raising her voice in his direction, she stated, "Albus Dumbledore, please come here."

Dumbledore looked up at the mention of his name, then shook his head as though to clear it before standing and making his way down to the floor. He approached Governor General Bones cautiously, noting the serious expression on her face. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, he said, "Yes, Governor General, how may I be of assistance?"

"Albus," she said, softening her expression slightly, "We've known each other long enough that you may still call me Amelia, as long as you don't make me come down on you in an official capacity."

Dumbledore nodded, slightly relieved, then said, "Thank you, Amelia, though I fear I may do that even unintentionally."

Madam Bones smiled and said, "Then you should listen to me very carefully so that you understand your instructions and carry them out appropriately." She hardened her expression again as she finished, causing Dumbledore's eyebrows to raise as he nodded. "I'm glad we understand each other, Albus. The MMS has requested that Professor Snape be given to them right away so that they can question him about the so-called Dark Lord. You are to return to Hogwarts with an escort as soon as they are ready, and once there you are to summon Snape immediately to be handed over to them."

Dumbledore started to open his mouth to say something, but Madam Bones headed him off with a look and a sharp, "Don't interrupt, Albus, or do I have to call you Mister Dumbledore?" He closed his mouth and shook his head, motioning for her to continue.

"Thank you," she continued. "As you know, Snape has been named as having the Dark Mark, and everyone in possession if it is to be arrested and tried. I have been given assurances that _if_ Professor Snape cooperates fully, the charges will be reduced at the very least if not dropped completely. It has also been implied that if he resists they will not hesitate to take him down hard, so I suggest you convince him to cooperate, at least with being taken into custody." She motioned for him to speak, indicating she was done for now.

"Professor Snape has my complete trust..." Dumbledore started.

"And that is irrelevant, Mister Dumbledore," interjected Madam Bones. "Regardless of whether or not you trust him, Her Majesty does not trust you. And while I may personally have some faith in you, as Her Majesty's appointed administrator of Magical Britain I have no choice but to put that faith aside and follow her example. The orders issued to the MMS are very clear; Snape is to be taken into custody using any means necessary to do so. I suggest you think about what that includes, both for yourself and your associate. Now, so you understand your instructions so far?"

Dumbledore stared at her for a moment, feeling her Occlumency shields preventing even the lightest of surface scans. Realizing he would get nothing more from her, he blinked before she did, then nodded. "Yes, Amelia, I understand," he said, sounding slightly defeated.

"Good," she said. "Now, Albus, I have something else to ask of you. This is not something that Her Majesty has requested, but something that I am requesting from you. I'd prefer you to do it as a favor to me, but if needed I'll make it an order as Governor General."

"I'll try, Amelia," he replied.

"When you get back to Hogwarts, please don't send out messages to everyone about what happened. I know it's going to get out quickly, but I want to be the one to send the official message, and if you send something out people are not likely to listen to anyone else. I'll let you know when it's okay to do so in a couple of days, but I need time to consolidate things before peoples' loyalties get any more divided than they already will be. Can you do that for me, Albus?"

Dumbledore looked at her, trying to read her without Legilimency. After a moment he nodded, saying, "I'll give you a couple days, Amelia, but I really do have things that need to be discussed with others about what has happened here. Not to mention Hogwarts business to conduct."

"I understand, Albus," she said. "I'll try to make it that fast, but it may be a little longer. Please try to work with me on this; if you can, it will also look good to Her Majesty when she comes to talk to you as well."

Dumbledore nodded, understanding the implied threat as well as the request. "Alright, Amelia, I suppose I should prepare to return to Hogwarts and speak to Professor Snape. If I may?"

"Just remember what I said. It's in his best interest to cooperate fully, just as it's in yours to do the same. Now let me see if we can finish here in time for most people to go home for dinner," and she turned back to her papers, dismissing him.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, found himself in an unusual position. He had just returned to the castle via Portkey with a half-dozen members of the MMS, and while they were in his office he very much was not the one in charge. For starters, immediately upon arrival he had been told to sit in one of the guest chairs while the soldiers searched his office for anything they deemed dangerous. When asked what they meant, the only answer he got was, "Please be quiet and let us work," before being mostly ignored until the finished. And once that was done he was ordered to summon Professor Snape before he did anything else. While he was now back behind his desk in his own chair, he couldn't help shake the feeling that he was just a figurehead for the soldiers who were spread around his office watching both him and the door very carefully.

He was about to offer them a lemon drop when there was a knock at his door. "Come in!" he called, sitting back in his chair and trying to look like he was in charge.

Professor Snape entered the office, his cloak billowing behind him, and said, "You summoned me Headmaster?" It was only after he said it that he noticed the soldiers around the room, now pointing both wands and Muggle weapons at him.

"Severus Snape," said one of the soldiers, "you have been named as having the Dark Mark. Please expose your forearms so that we may determine if this is true or not."

Snape scowled, and began to reply when Dumbledore raised his hand and cut him off. "Please, Severus, I suggest you do cooperate with them. Things have changed radically since this morning, and I no longer wield the influence that I used to."

"But..." said Snape, before he was cut off again.

"No, Severus, I cannot help you anymore." At Snape's angry look, he added, "It's not that I don't wish to, but that I truly cannot. I was, however, assured that if you cooperate it will be given serious consideration towards your disposition."

Snape stared at Dumbledore for a moment, who lowered his own Occlumency shields just enough to show the conversation with Governor General Bones. After a moment, he looked at the soldier who had spoken and said, "What do you want me to do?"

"Please roll up your sleeves so we can confirm the presence or absence of the Dark Mark. After that, we'll let you know," said the soldier, whose name tag read Flinn.

Severus slowly rolled up his right sleeve, showing a blank arm, before rolling up his left and revealing the Dark Mark.

"Thank you," said Flinn. "Now that we have determined that you do indeed carry the Dark Mark, Severus Snape, by order of Her Majesty the Queen, you are under arrest for treason and sedition against the crown. Please hand over your wand carefully so that we may take you into custody."

Snape gave Dumbledore a look of betrayal, and received a look of sadness back. He slowly pulled his wand and handed it to the soldier, as two others came up to him and secured his hands behind his back.

"Severus," said Dumbledore, "I'm sorry. I had no choice in the matter. This was the only way I could ensure your life would be spared. Please, I beg you to cooperate with them; they are in charge of dealing with Voldemort now."

Snape searched Dumbledore's face for deception, but was unable to find any. He knew it was still possible he had been betrayed by the Headmaster, but slowly understood that he felt like this was the only option. He looked back at the soldier to whom he had given his wand and reiterated, "What do you want me to do?"

Flinn waited until he was fully secured before answering, "You will be taken to a secure facility where you will be thoroughly interrogated under Veritaserum about your role regarding the so-called Dark Lord. Assuming your answers check out, you will be given an opportunity to cooperate in assisting with eliminating the threat to Great Britain. Once the threat has been dealt with, you will be tried for any and all charges that are determined to be appropriate, taking into consideration the level of assistance and cooperation you provide. You should probably be aware that if you do not cooperate and are found guilty of treason, the penalty is death by hanging."

Snape looked sharply at Dumbledore, who nodded sadly. He held Dumbledore's gaze for a moment before looking back at the soldier and said, "If cooperation means the destruction of the Dark Lord, then I will happily do whatever is necessary to do so."

"Thank you, Mister Snape," said Flinn, "I hope you do." Turning to Dumbledore he said, "Headmaster, thank you for your cooperation. I will remind you that you are to remain on the school grounds until such time as Her Majesty comes to speak with you personally, and that you are to cooperate with all of the soldiers who will be staying here to ensure your compliance. If you need to contact Her Majesty before she contacts you, you may do so either through them or preferably through Governor General Bones. Do you understand your instructions?"

"Yes, Leftenant, I understand," said Dumbledore, sounding rather tired.

"Good. Please find temporary quarters for them while they are here, and others will be sent to relieve them in a day or two." Turning to Snape, he said, "Come, Mister Snape, the clock is ticking." Taking Snape's arm, he led him out of the Headmaster's office, escorted by one of the other soldiers who had been carrying a rifle. The walked out of the castle and to the edge of the wards before Portkeying away.


	23. The Words of the Prophet

_Originally Posted 3/18/16, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 23: The Words of the Prophet  
**

Severus Snape Apparated to just outside the wards surrounding the Dark Lord's headquarters, as he had done several times recently. Unlike previous times, he didn't immediately walk towards the property; instead he reached into his pocket and pulled out the strange box-shaped device he had been given and looked at it carefully. After orienting it properly, he pulled the three tabs he had been instructed to, and saw several small red lights start blinking. After a moment, one of them turned green, the sign he had been instructed to watch for.

Looking around, he saw several bushes just outside the ward line. He walked towards them and tossed the box into one of the bushes as he headed towards the house. He was pretty sure he knew why he'd been summoned; this morning's Prophet article was making waves everywhere, and the Dark Lord would want to know what Dumbledore was doing about it. He just hoped he'd he'd be able to convince Voldemort that things were the way he'd been instructed to portray them.

* * *

 _ **Daily Prophet - Friday, 13 August, 1995**_

 _SHAKEUP AT THE MINISTRY  
Barnabas Cuffe, Editor_

 _Yesterday morning, even before the Ministry of Magic officially opened for business at 9am, an extraordinary series of events took place in Courtroom Ten, located deep in the bowels of the Ministry. While we have been unable to obtain many details from first hand sources other than the press release printed below, we do know that it all began at 8am with the unprecedented trial of Harry Potter for violating the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, held before the entire Wizengamot, something which has never been done before._

 _What followed can only be described as having turned Magical Britain on its head. Rather than attempt to explain everything that has happened, we are simply printing the press release provided by Governor General Amelia Bones, the woman who is now in charge of affairs at the Ministry of Magic. Analysis and more information will follow in the coming days as we obtain it._

 _ **Ministry of Magic Press Release  
Office of Governor General Amelia Bones**_

 _ **This morning, as a result of actions taken by former Minister of Magic Cornelius Oswald Fudge in an attempt to violate the rights of a citizen of Magical Britain,**_ _ ** _ **Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II ordered that**_ the Wizarding Charter of Great Britain be revoked. As a result, Her Majesty has retaken control of Magical Britain and made a number of changes to the way we are governed, with more changes to come. Before I detail the changes that have already happened and are expected to happen in the future, I want to reassure the people of Magical Britain that for the most part day-to-day life will NOT be changing anytime soon, if at all.**_

 _ **First, the day-to-day management of Magical Britain will remain the purview of the Ministry of Magic, and that citizens of Magical Britain will continue to live, work and play as they have. Should anything change, it will be announced publicly (like this press release) and if at all possible in advance to provide ample time for everyone to be notified. If advance notice is not possible (like with today's changes), there will be a grace period for minor infractions of at least one week to allow people to learn of the changes and adjust accordingly. Until further notice, all Ministry-related**_ _ **activities will continue with business as usual except as listed below.**_

 _ **Second, while Her Majesty is very displeased with the way the Ministry of Magic has been operating, she wishes to assure the people of Magical Britain that she considers them to be her subjects just as much as the people of non-Magical Britain, and that her goal in taking control of the Ministry is to ensure that ALL of her subjects enjoy the same safety and freedom regardless of whether they are Magical or not. While there will be changes to ensure that equal rights are granted to all of the citizens of her Realms, she does not intend to make changes simply for the sake of change, and where possible will take into account the wishes of the people before doing so.**_

 _ **And lastly, while Her Majesty is not a Witch or even a Squib, she has no intention of eliminating the Statute of Secrecy now or for the foreseeable future. While she wishes to encourage better relations between Magical and non-Magical Britain, she understands the need for caution and slow, deliberate action in doing so. This also means that she will not tolerate any reckless or abusive behavior towards non-Magical Britain, and that penalties for violating the rules for interacting with non-Magicals will be strictly enforced going forward.**_

 _ **As to the changes, the following events occurred earlier today in Courtroom Ten, and as a result of those events the following changes have happened:**_

 _ **1\. The Wizarding Charter of Great Britain has been revoked. As a result, Magical Britain is now beholden to Her Majesty the Queen, within the limits of certain non-Magical documents such as the Magna Carta which were in effect at the time the Wizarding Charter was first ratified in 1613. Therefore, until such time as a new Charter is issued, Her Majesty holds near absolute authority over the citizens of Magical Britain.**_

 _ **2\. Harry James Potter has been cleared of all charges.**_

 _ **3\. Sirius Orion Black has been cleared of all charges relating to the deaths of James and Lily Potter, Peter Pettigrew, and twelve Muggles. Additionally, as it has been determined that he never received a trial before being placed in Azkaban prison, he has been cleared of the charge of escape as he should not have been held there in the first place. He has been found guilty of being an unregistered Animagus, been credited for the time he already spent in Azkaban, and is required to register with the Ministry within the next thirty days. Compensation for his unjust imprisonment will be determined at a later date.**_

 _ **4\. The former Minister of Magic, Cornelius Oswald Fudge has been fired by Her Majesty and arrested pending trial on multiple charges to be determined later, but including Malfeasance in Public Office. Mister Fudge was also relieved of his position as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot at the same time, a position he had just recently taken over after removing Albus Dumbledore.**_

 _ **5\. Former Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic Dolores Jane Umbridge has been arrested after attempting to assassinate Her Majesty The Queen, an action that resulted in the loss of her Magic for violating the Oath of Magical Fealty, which she bound herself to as part of her oath of office to the Ministry of Magic. Due to the loss of her Magic, she is considered to have been found guilty of Treason against the Crown, and has been taken away to face the Queen's justice. Per British Law, Madam Umbridge faces execution by hanging should Her Majesty choose not to invoke the Royal Prerogative of Mercy; for now, Her Majesty has decided to determine Madam Umbridge's exact punishment at a later time.**_

 _ **6\. All fifty members of the Wizengamot were charged with Treason against the Crown, and judged by their own magic as to whether they had violated the Oath of Magical Fealty, which is also part of the Wizengamot oath, while performing their duties. Of the fifty members, twenty-eight of them lost their magic, and were deemed to have been found guilty for the same reason as Madam Umbridge. The remaining twenty-two were found not guilty, and additionally received a blanket pardon for any actions they had taken prior to being judged.**_

 _ **Twenty-seven of the twenty eight members of the Wizengamot who lost their Magic are being held at Her Majesty's pleasure. Having been found guilty of Treason, they also faced the possibility of execution by hanging. However, Her Majesty immediately invoked the Royal Prerogative of Mercy for them, commuting their sentence to imprisonment until she chooses to have them released.**_

 _ **Unfortunately, William McLaggen, aged 114, perished after the loss of his Magic due to old age. Her Majesty and the Ministry would like to express their condolences to the family of Mister McLaggen on his passing. While Her Majesty was most displeased with the members of the Wizengamot who lost their Magic, his death was an unexpected consequence of his actions and not Her Majesty's intent.**_

 _ **7\. Until such time as additional members of the Wizengamot can be appointed, it will serve as an advisory body bearing witness to the changes mandated by Her Majesty and providing non-binding input as to how to best implement those changes.**_

 _ **8\. Following the firing of former Minister Fudge and the removal of over half of the Wizengamot, Her Majesty requested that I, and eventually all of the department heads, take an oath to demonstrate our loyalty to the Crown and the principles of the Wizarding Charter. Anyone refusing to take the oath was taken into custody and will be charged with Treason against the Crown. They will receive a fair trial once the reorganization of the Ministry is complete, and will be punished appropriately should they be found guilty. The text of the oath is as follows:**_

 **I, [name], swear on my magic that while employed by the Ministry of Magic I did not, knowingly and indifferently, act against the principles of the Wizarding Charter.**

 ** _After giving my oath, Her Majesty then appointed me, Amelia Susan Bones, as Governor General of the Magical Kingdom of Great Britain. While my position is similar to that of the Minister of Magic, I am duty bound to report to Her Majesty and act on her behalf rather than holding a position of ultimate authority. Additionally, I will be working with Her Majesty's Chief Wizard, Mister Charles Adlington, to bring about the changes that Her Majesty requires that we make._**

 _ **9\. As part of the changes to be made, Mister Percy Weasley was appointed as Solicitor General of the Magical Kingdom of Great Britain after he took the same oath that I did. His task is to compile a list of all the laws of both Magical and non-Magical Britain and provide a report on how they differ and how best to reconcile them. Based on his report, I will be working with the Wizengamot to update the laws of Magical Britain to meet Her Majesty's requirements while also meeting the needs of the people.**_

 _ **Also, as a result of today's changes and until such time as things settle down, additional security measures will be employed at the Ministry of Magic and are applicable to everyone, employees and visitors alike. Due to their sensitive nature, the exact measures in use will not be disclosed at this time. However, I would like to assure everyone that they will be minimally invasive and are designed purely to minimize the risk to everyone from potentially subversive elements within Magical Britain. It is my hope that these measures can be reduced or eliminated quickly as everyone becomes accustomed to the new paradigm.**_

 _ **I know that this is a massive change, and that change can be difficult, but I firmly believe that Her Majesty wishes to find ways for us to coexist peacefully by embracing the things we have in common rather than assailing our differences. I also invite you all to peacefully communicate any and all concerns you have regarding this transition so that they can be addressed appropriately. To that end, I will be setting up an owl post address tomorrow for "Ministry Transition Inquiries", and we will compile the questions and publish answers via press release on a bi-weekly basis, if not more frequently. Additionally, the entire list of questions and answers will be available at the Ministry on request in person.**_

 _ **Thank you for your patience and willingness to work with me and the rest of the restructured Ministry of Magic to make Magical Britain a better place for everyone.**_

 _ **(signed) Amelia Susan Bones  
Governor General of Her Majesty's Magical Kingdom of Great Britain**_

 _As you can see, there have been many changes in one day, and many questions raised as well._ _ _How did the Queen get involved, and_ who was it that actually revoked the Charter on her behalf? Who are the members of the Wizengamot who lost their Magic? Why was Sirius Black involved, and how was he sent to Azkaban without a trial? What's going to happen next?_

 _We at the Daily Prophet will be working tirelessly to answer those questions and more starting even before this issue goes to press, and will continue to cover this story for as long as it takes to get answers._

 _Who is Queen Elizabeth II? A biography of the Muggle Queen, p.8. What is the Wizarding Charter, and how does it's revocation affect me? Details p.3. Biographies of Harry Potter, Sirius Black, Amelia Bones, Percy Weasley, Cornelius Fudge and Dolores Umbridge starting on p.11._

* * *

Tom Marvolo Riddle, also known as the Dark Lord Voldemort, was not happy. Even without knowing the details behind this morning's Prophet article, it was clear that there was a new player in the battle for control of the Ministry. And knowing nothing of them, he had no idea how this would affect his attempts to take over now that he had a body to work with. He'd already summoned his various spies, and was waiting to see who responded.

He was just starting to get impatient when the wards indicated the arrival of one of his Death Eaters. After a minute, Severus Snape entered and bowed, kissing the hem of his robes. "What news do you bring, Severus? There is clearly more going on than what was listed in this morning's Prophet."

"Of course, my Lord," Snape replied, keeping his tone even. "I do not know all of the facts, just what I was able to get from Dumbledore."

"Do not give me excuses, Severus..." said Voldemort, his tone turning dangerous.

"My apologies, my Lord," said Snape, "but it appears that Dumbledore has been pushed to the side, and has little to no influence with the Muggle Queen. When I left Hogwarts, he had been placed under house arrest under armed guard, with orders to not contact anyone outside of the castle."

Voldemort stared at Snape for a moment, who held the Dark Lord's gaze while letting him see the image of Dumbledore in his office with the members of the MMS holding their weapons. He nodded after a moment and said, "Continue, Severus. What else have you learned."

Severus nodded, then said, "Everyone in the ministry is being checked for the Dark Mark, and anyone found to have one is being arrested. I was not informed by Dumbledore of who all had been found, but I know Macnair was mentioned as having put up a fight before being captured. Also, in addition to the Aurors, there are currently magical soldiers defending the Ministry, at least for the next few days. I think you should probably assume that anyone else you had in the Ministry is probably compromised, if not captured."

"Yes, that would probably be wise," said Voldemort. "Thank you for passing on that information Severus," he added, drawing his wand. " _Crucio._ " He only held the spell briefly, as he couldn't really fault Snape for the information, but even unavoidable failure must be punished.

When he recovered from the effects of the spell, Snape said, "Thank you, my Lord. May I ask what you plan to do about this?"

Voldemort stared at him again, with Snape again letting him see what he wanted. "Yes, you understand," he said. "With the Ministry in disarray, now would be a good time to attack. But as you said, they also have extra forces with which to fight back, at least for a few days. Tell me, Severus, what would you do?"

Severus didn't flinch at the question, knowing that any sign of fear would be taken as possible disloyalty. After a moment, he said, "I would want to know when the soldiers were leaving, and strike shortly afterwards. The Ministry will take quite some time to get organized, but I doubt they'll be able to keep Muggle soldiers in place very long, perhaps a few days at most. If you strike shortly after they depart, you can probably take control before they can get reinforcements to return."

"A sensible suggestion, Severus," said Voldemort. "Tell me, how do you suggest we learn when the soldiers will be departing if all of our spies in the Ministry are no longer reliable, and neither is Dumbledore from what you've told me."

"I do not know, my Lord," said Severus, trying to hide his worry. While he had been coached on how to answer many questions when he agreed to cooperate with the military, neither he nor they had thought of this one.

Voldemort considered for a moment, then nodded. "Had you been lying to me, you would have known pain. But I believe you, Severus. Never fear, I have an idea of how to get that information another way, and no I won't tell you. Tell me, Severus, what do you think of this Muggle Queen taking over the Ministry?"

"I do not know enough to form a detailed opinion, my Lord, but I do know that it cannot be tolerated," said Snape. "Even if she were not a Muggle, she has held no authority over the Magical world for centuries; I see no reason for her to start now. However, as a Muggle, her holding power over anyone Magical is an abomination. I see this as further proof that your cause is the only way to save the Magical world."

Voldemort's attempt to probe Snape was much stronger this time, but again he only saw what Snape wanted him to. After a moment he nodded, letting the probe withdraw. "I do believe you are correct, Severus. I will learn when the Ministry's defenses are no longer supplemented and then we will strike, taking our rightful place in control of Magical Britain. You may go, Severus, but I expect you to contact me immediately with any new information you learn. I will summon you again when it is time to take over the Ministry."

"Yes, my Lord," said Snape, bowing again before withdrawing.

* * *

When Snape arrived back at the gates to Hogwarts he had been greeted by Captain Lee and two other soldiers. They had immediately taken him back to wherever he had been taken for his interrogation, where they led him into a room with nothing but a table and a few chairs. Fortunately for him, he wasn't restrained this time, and as he sat down he allowed himself to relax slightly, as the effects of his brief Cruciatus exposure began to overwhelm his tolerances.

"Are you alright?" asked Captain Lee. "Do you need medical assistance?"

Snape began to shake his head but thought better of it. While he certainly had felt threatened by their demeanor during his interrogation, he had otherwise been treated very well considering the reason he was taken into custody in the first place. "Perhaps," he finally answered. "Do you have anything to help with the effects of the Cruciatus Curse?"

Captain Lee looked at him carefully, noticing as he did the mild tremors evident in Snape's hands. "I think we can help you with that." He turned to one of the other soldiers in the room and said, "Penfold, please stop into the infirmary and ask for something to help with Cruciatus exposure that won't knock Mister Snape for a loop. I need him coherent for the debriefing, and then he can get some sleep."

Penfold saluted and said, "Yes, sir!" before turning and leaving to carry out the request.

Captain Lee turned back to Snape and asked, "Can I get you anything to eat or drink?"

Snape thought for a moment before replying, "Just some water for now, thank you."

One of the other soldiers pulled a bottle of water out of a small refrigerator in the corner and handed it to Snape. He realized he'd missed it when he first arrived, but he certainly appreciated it. As he took a drink, once he'd figured out how to open it, Captain Lee started the debriefing.

"First of all," he said, "were you able to deploy the device the way we asked you to?"

"I believe so," said Snape, after he swallowed. "I removed the small tabs per your instructions and several red lights started blinking. When the first one turned green and stopped blinking, I tossed it into a bush just outside the ward line. Now that I've returned, will you tell me what exactly it was?"

Captain Lee nodded. "In simplest terms, it's a magic-resistent GPS locator."

Snape stared at him in confusion. After a moment, he said, "Can you please repeat that in terms I would understand?"

Captain Lee chuckled this time, and was joined by the other soldiers in the room. "It's an electronic device that sends out a signal and tells us where it is. Within the next half hour at most, we should have a near exact location for your so-called Dark Lord."

Now Snape looked perplexed. "But magic and electronics don't mix. Just Apparating with it should have destroyed it!"

"Ordinarily, you're correct," said Captain Lee. But we've had a number of years to figure out how to prevent that from happening. As it is, we still can't make them work together at the same time, but by isolating certain parts of it while exposed to high levels of magic, we're able to make it work again once the exposure has been reduced. That's why you had to pull those tabs to make it work; you removed the insulators preventing the circuits from closing, which essentially rendered the device inert while they were there. Once you pulled them out, everything was reconnected and the device powered on automatically."

Snape raised one eyebrow and deadpanned, "Fascinating."

Captain Lee gave him a look for a moment, then shrugged. "Now that I've answered your question, tell me about your meeting with Voldemort."

"It went pretty much as expected, I believe," answered Snape. "I think I've convinced him to wait until he learns that you're leaving the Ministry before attacking, though I don't know how he's going to find out. He said he has a plan, but would not tell me about it. He did ask me how I would find out that information, and I honestly answered that I did not know. Fortunately for me he believed me, or I doubt I would have made it back in one piece, if at all. In any event, he seems pleased that Dumbledore has been pushed to the side, and is quite upset that his attempts to infiltrate the Ministry have been compromised. Once he learns that the Ministry is no longer defended by your soldiers, I believe he will make an attempt to take it over outright rather than via subterfuge, if only to prove that he is more powerful than a Muggle, even if she is the Queen."

Captain Lee nodded, considering what was and wasn't said. "And you, Mister Snape? What is your opinion of the Queen?"

Snape considered his answer for a moment before saying, "Honestly, if she can eliminate the Dark Lord, and I can find some place to live in peace when it's over, I don't think I care one way or another. I've been trapped by the possibility of his return for nearly fourteen years, and the only thing worse is that he's actually back. In any event, you've given me an option that I never expected."

Captain Lee's response was interrupted by Penfold returning with a small bottle and a paper cup. "Here you go, sir," he said to Snape. "The healer said to take the potion first, then the pills. They'll work together better than either one separately, especially if you get some sleep while they work."

Snape looked at the potion, recognizing it as a mild pain reliever, then drank it in one gulp. He eyed the pills carefully, but decided that his treatment had been such that the healer was probably correct. After a moment figuring out how to take them, he swallowed them as well before finishing his water.

"Is there anything else you think we should know about your meeting right now?" asked Captain Lee when Snape finished taking his medicine.

"I don't believe so," replied Snape, looking slightly better for the pain potion. He then yawned and said, "I think I'd like that nap now."

Captain Lee nodded and stood. "I think we can find you some place to do that. You'll be confined to quarters since you're still technically a prisoner, but I think you've shown enough cooperation that we can skip the brig."

"How generous," Snape deadpanned, but he stood and followed the soldier anyway.


	24. Exothaumic Reactions

_Originally Posted 4/1/16, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 24: Exothaumic Reactions  
**

Arthur Weasley stepped into his office at the Ministry, closed the door, and sagged. As he sat down at his desk, he pulled out a small vial of headache potion and downed it in one gulp, thankful the he'd had one stashed in a drawer. As he sat back and closed his eyes, letting the potion work, he thought back on why he'd needed it in the first place.

He'd barely made it out of the Floo at Grimmauld Place last night before he was assaulted from all sides by people wanting to know what had happened. In addition to Molly and the kids, Remus Lupin was there hoping to hear something about Harry and Sirius. He'd had the foresight to pick up several Calming Draughts on the way home, but quickly realized that it wasn't enough for everyone. But it would have to do, so he'd split them in half and refused to say anything more until everyone had drunk theirs.

He'd started with the good news, that Harry and Sirius had both been cleared of all charges. This had led to much relief all around, and he thought that Remus would have shed tears were it not for the potion. Unfortunately, the good mood was short-lived, as Arthur had to admit that he had no idea where Harry was, nor when he might be returning. But it was after he explained about the revocation of the Wizarding Charter, and the fact that Harry had been the one to actually do it, that the headache really started.

Even under the influence of the Calming Draught Molly had exploded, ranting about everything from Harry being too young to have that kind of responsibility to fear about what would happen now that the Charter had been revoked. While he did feel that Harry was too young to have had such a big responsibility thrust upon him, he also recognized that Harry was no longer the little boy that Molly had first met at King's Cross four years earlier. Even if Harry wasn't quite an adult yet, he, and the rest of the children (if he was honest to himself), were all growing up into young men and women who had seen and dealt with things even he hadn't in some cases.

It had taken nearly ten minutes for Molly to get everything out of her system, and Arthur had simply let her do it in the hopes that she'd be a bit calmer about things once the Calming Draught wore off. After that he'd explained that he didn't know much more, other than that Fudge had been sacked, Amelia Bones was now Governor General after being appointed by the Queen, and that he'd heard that she would be giving more information in a press release for the Prophet to publish in the morning.

This caused Molly to start up again briefly, though at least this time it was about Fudge getting what he deserved, while Hermione spent a couple minutes discussing the ramifications of the Queen taking over to address Ron and Ginny's confusion. The twins, on the other hand, thought the chaos Harry had apparently inflicted on the Ministry was amusing, something Arthur privately appreciated. After giving everyone a chance to absorb everything and settle down, he delivered the last piece of news in the hopes that it would return some of the good cheer from earlier.

" _I spoke with Percy this afternoon,"_ _he_ _said._

" _Is he still against Professor Dumbledore and Harry?" asked_ _Molly_ _._

" _Actually, no,"_ _he_ _replied. "At least not the way he was before. He actually spoke up in Harry's defense when Fudge tried to convict him before he could give a defense."_

 _Everyone looked shocked. Finally, George spoke up, saying, "Percy defended Harry? Are you sure we're talking about the same person?"_

" _I wasn't there when it happened, but both he and Dumbledore confirmed it,"_ _he answered_ _. "He actually had to resign his position with the ministry to do it, but he apparently made quite an impression when he did, and he's already gotten a new position working for Governor General Bones."_

 _Molly_ _had gasped when she heard Percy had resigned from the Ministry, but looked relieved when_ _he_ _announced_ _Percy_ _had a new job. "Do you think," she started, then paused for a moment before repeating herself. "Do you think, maybe, he might want to come home?"_

" _Maybe,"_ _he_ _replied, "although I suspect he's going to want to keep living on his own since he's no longer in school. But I did invite him to come for dinner, and he said he'd owl us once he was settled into his new job. He also asked me to send his regards, and I think he honestly meant it."_

 _This seemed to shock everyone enough that he was able to redirect the conversation to dinner, and after that an early bedtime since things at the Ministry were so unsettled and he expected to have a long day tomorrow._

He'd managed to escape this morning without having to rehash anything from the night before, but only after promising to make a quick trip to the Leaky Cauldron and back to pick up several copies of the Prophet. Having done so, and taking a copy for himself, he'd Floo'd to the Ministry. Now, sitting at his desk and reading the front page article on everything that had happened, he was doubly glad to have left before everyone else saw it.

* * *

It had taken a dreamless sleep potion to get Missus Weasley to bed the night before, and now that she was no longer under its influence or that of the Calming Draught, she was in rare form this morning. While she hadn't exploded yet, she'd snapped at everyone already this morning, including Ron once for not eating fast enough. But nobody expected it to last.

Mister Weasley had stepped briefly from the Floo, dropped a number of copies of the Prophet on the table, then quickly escaped again before he could get dragged into anything. Everyone grabbed for the paper, and for once Missus Weasley didn't try to stop them, as she was too engrossed in her own copy. There weren't quite enough for everyone, so Ron and Ginny shared one (Hermione wouldn't) as did the twins.

At first Missus Weasley just grumbled and sputtered at the article, but when the twins started laughing, she turned her ire to them. "This isn't funny!" she shouted, not taking her eyes off the article.

"But it is," said Fred.

"Very funny," replied George.

They looked at the paper, then at each other, before Fred exclaimed, "Who would have thought,"

"That ickle Harrykins," continued George.

"Could cause so much chaos all by himself!" they finished together, before collapsing on the floor with laughter.

While the twins were laughing, Hermione had reread the article, and started muttering about the implications of what had happened to the Wizengamot. Both Ron and Ginny were shocked at the idea of people losing their Magic, and were then distracted by the twins to the point that neither of them had really gone back to reading.

Missus Weasley had continued to boil as she read the article, and when she finished it, combined with the twins antics, she finally lost it completely. "I don't know how you can think this is funny," she started. "You think life is all just a joke? You have no idea what life can be like. People lost their Magic over this. Somebody died. And who knows how many other people are going to be affected. For all we know your father is going to be out a job, and then where will we be?

"What on earth was Harry thinking going to the Queen? And why wouldn't he come talk to me or your father? Surely he knows we would have done what we could to help. Harry's just a little boy who barely knows anything about the Ministry, no wonder he was worried about his trial. This must be Sirius's fault! Where else would Harry get such an idea? When I get my hands on him..."

By now Hermione had looked up from the paper and saw Ron staring at his mother in shock, and realized what he must be thinking. After all, it was something he said that sparked the idea, and she had been the one to help Harry understand the possibilities. They looked at each other, with wide eyes, before glancing back at Missus Weasley who had moved on to ranting about how Dumbledore should have known something like this was going to happen. Ron raised an eyebrow and nodded at the door, and Hermione quickly nodded back before folding up the paper and slowly moving towards the door. Ron quietly followed, as did Ginny when she realized that they were leaving.

Somehow they made it out the door before Missus Weasley noticed them leaving, thankful that the Twins were still trying to stop laughing as they continued to read the paper. They had just started up the steps when they heard their names being shouted, and ran up to their bedroom level in the hopes that they wouldn't be followed. After a minute to catch their breath, the three of them looked at each other and all nodded at once.

"Right," said Ron, "I reckon we're safe for a few, but she's going to come up eventually. Any ideas on how to keep it that way?"

Hermione looked thoughtful, but Ginny answered right away. "Start cleaning. You know she'll tear into us if she thinks we're just loafing around, but if she sees us cleaning maybe it'll shock her into leaving us alone."

Ron made a face, but didn't argue. "We finally finished the drawing room, and I don't fancy going back downstairs to clean, so what's left?"

"There's at least one spare bedroom on the third floor," said Hermione, "let's see if that needs cleaning. I think the supplies are still in the drawing room, lets grab them and head up." Putting word to deed, she did just that, enlisting Ron to carry some of the heavier buckets.

* * *

Not long after Snape had been left to get some sleep, his mission was proven successful as the locator device finally checked in. Shortly after that, Captain Lee entered Major French's office with a determined look on his face. "We've got it, sir," he said after saluting. "It's approximately twenty-five miles northwest of Leeds, on the outskirts of Yorkshire Dales National Park. We should have a complete workup of the local area in the next two hours, but I suggest we contact SAS and put them on standby."

"Excellent," replied the Major, motioning to a chair in front of his desk. "I take it the area is sparsely populated enough to keep it hush-hush?"

"It appears so," said Captain Lee, taking a seat. "We'll have to wait for the full intel brief before we can be absolutely sure. One thing's for sure, if they're operating out of the manor house that we think they are, there's quite a bit of space between it and the rest of the village."

"Then let's hope you're right. Now, given that it's Friday afternoon, when do you think we should try and take them down?"

"Let's see how quickly SAS can evacuate the area, once we have the intel brief. Once we know that, I say we move within twenty-four hours, tops. But we might need to move sooner, I don't trust them to wait too long before making a move."

"Mmm," nodded the Major. "Have you had any luck getting further information from our other prisoners?"

"Not much that's actually helpful. We've managed to confirm some details on the layout of the house that Snape had given us, but that's about it. Beyond that, it's mostly just been confirmation that they're all a bunch of sick animals who need to be put down for the sake of everyone else. Heck, I've got more sympathy for rabid dogs than I do for them, especially that Macnair fellow." Captain Lee shook his head, continuing, "Did you know that he took his job as Ministry executioner after Voldemort's first defeat because if he couldn't kill people at least he could kill sentient Magical creatures from time to time? The man's a psychopath, and they practically encouraged it!"

Major French looked at his second in command with mild concern. He'd known the man for nearly two decades, and this was the first time he'd seen him this worked up. "Is holding on to the prisoners going to be a problem? For you or anyone else?"

Captain Lee shook his head, and pulled himself together before answering. "No, sir, it won't. Nothing we could do to them now will be more terrifying to them or satisfying to me than watching them hang. And I've made sure that everyone else knows it too. Besides, at this point I think we're done with questioning them. Their only use now is as canaries for when Voldemort summons everyone to him."

The Major gave him a hard look, then nodded. "Very well. Why don't you go see how that report is coming, and I'll contact my counterpart in SAS. The sooner we can move on this the better I think we'll all feel."

Captain Lee stood and saluted, then headed towards the intelligence office. After he left, Major French picked up the phone and dialed a number by memory, despite not having used it for a number of years. He'd been transferred to the MMS after serving in SAS for nearly a decade, and certain things were not readily forgotten.

* * *

Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, sat in her study going over reports between tea time and dinner when there was a knock on the door. Pushing the button to indicate they should enter, she was not surprised to see a military courier walk in behind her steward. He stopped and gave a bow, then held up an envelope and said, "Major French sends his compliments, Your Majesty."

The Queen nodded slightly and said, "Thank you, Sergeant, please bring it here."

"Yes, Ma'am," he said, approaching her desk and handing her the envelope. He then stepped back.

"Thank you," she repeated, before looking back at the report she had been reading.

Recognizing the dismissal, the Sergeant gave another bow and left, followed by the steward who closed the door behind himself. Once she was alone, she put the report down and opened the message from Major French.

 _13_ _th_ _August_ _, 1995  
1600 Hours_

 _Your Majesty,_

 _We have located the terrorists base of operations in a small village in North Yorkshire, and will be evacuating the residents with the assistance of 23 SAS(R). Once that is complete we will wait for the leader to summon his forces and strike once they arrive. No further details will be volunteered to maintain operational security. If you wish to learn more, I can provide a detailed briefing at your convenience._

 _(signed) Richard French  
Commander, MMS_

After reading the note twice to commit it to memory, she put it into the secure shredder to be burned later. As much as she wished to know more, she knew there was no reason for it yet, and understood the reason for the Major's lack of details. In any event, it sounded like they had things under control for the moment, so she would wait. If there was no new information tomorrow, she'd request a briefing.

* * *

Amelia Bones sat in her new office, reviewing everything that had happened over the past twelve hours. It had been an exhausting day, her first full day in charge of the Ministry (and all of Magical Britain, come to think of it), but it had been a good one. For starters, while they were a little understaffed due to having certain people arrested or refusing to come in, it was mostly business as usual for the Ministry.

Additionally, while there had certainly been a fair share of complaints about the news released this morning, she'd also heard that there had been roughly an equal number of comments supporting the new regime, including a few from unexpected places. For one, several of the pureblood owned businesses on Diagon Alley felt that bringing in more Muggleborns and their families would only increase their business, and didn't care what their customers' blood status was. She smiled as she considered that attitude; if more people could start thinking like that then they'd have won a major battle for the hearts and minds of the population.

She'd also received a terse message from the Goblins, stating that they were aware of the changes in Magical Britain and were monitoring the situation. She wasn't sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing, but she'd sent back a message that for the time being she hoped to maintain the status quo with regards to them, and would request a meeting to discuss any possible changes before doing anything on a non-emergency basis. Hopefully that would at least avoid any unnecessary difficulties with them.

She was interrupted by a knock on the door frame and looked up to see Barnabas Cuffe, the editor of the Prophet standing in her door, stealthily being covered by the two Aurors on her protective detail. "I've brought you an advance copy of tomorrow's Prophet, so you can see that we've printed your release correctly," he said.

"Thank you," she said, standing and holding out her hand.

He brought the paper over to her and said, "I'd stay, but we're running the presses at full capacity, and I need to get back and help. If you see any problems, just show up and yell at me." Not waiting for a response, he turned and left.

She shook her head, knowing that he wouldn't be running the presses like that if he wasn't certain she would approve of the article. Nodding to the Aurors stationed outside her door, she sat down and began to read the paper.

 _ **Daily Prophet - Saturday, 14 August, 1995**_

 _YOU-KNOW-WHO RETURNS? MINISTRY INVESTIGATING  
Barnabas Cuffe, Editor_

 _Immediately following yesterdays shakeup at the Ministry, rumors started flying that You-Know-Who, or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, had somehow returned. While we were not able to independently verify the truth of this on our own, we were able to obtain a statement from the Ministry confirming the truth of these rumors. We present the statement below, unedited, at the request of Governor General Bones. CAUTION: While we at the Prophet would not normally do so, the Ministry has chosen to use You-Know-Who's full name, and thus we have printed it here._

 _ **Ministry of Magic Press Release  
Office of Governor General Amelia Bones**_

 _ **As part of the events surrounding the changes in the Ministry yesterday, we have determined conclusively that the so-called 'Dark Lord' Voldemort, who was banished nearly fourteen years ago by Harry Potter, has returned to Magical Britain. While we are still investigating the situation, one of the things we do know is that the Dark Mark is once again visible on those he has marked. The so-called 'Dark Lord' and his marked followers have been declared enemy combatants by Her Majesty The Queen, and anyone found in possession of the Dark Mark will be detained for questioning.**_

 _ **While I'm sure we all remember the damage that was wrought by Voldemort and his followers the last time he was active, his greatest weapon is secrecy and the fear it generates. Therefore we intend to make public as much information as we can without compromising any actions the Ministry is taking against him.**_

 _ **While there is still much that we do not know at this time, here are the facts that we do know:**_

 _ **1\. The Voldemort returned to Britain on the night of June 24**_ _ **th**_ _ **and kidnapped Harry Potter and Cedric Diggory during the third task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Cedric Diggory was killed by Voldemort, and Harry Potter was injured but ultimately able to escape and return with Cedric's body.**_

 _ **2\. At the time of his return, Voldemort called his followers, the Death Eaters to him, and approximately twenty to thirty of them responded. We are working hard to try and identify those people who have returned to the Dark Lord's service so that they can be detained.**_

 _ **3\. Death Eaters are marked on their forearm with Voldemort's symbol, the Dark Mark. There is no known way of hiding the mark, other than wearing clothing over it. Anyone in possession of this mark is to be considered armed and dangerous, and should be reported to the Ministry of Magic immediately.**_

 _ **4\. Yesterday, as part of the security measures taken at the Ministry, everyone was checked for the Dark Mark, regardless of their reason for being there. As a result, several people were found to be in possession of the Dark Mark and have been taken into custody for further questioning. Additionally, anyone entering the Ministry of Magic will be required to show their forearms before being admitted. This requirement will remain in place until such time as the threat of Voldemort and his followers has been lifted.**_

 _ **I know that many of you still have concerns about the changes happening in Magical Britain, and I share at least some of those concerns. Once again, I invite everyone to send those questions to "Ministry Transition Inquiries", so that we can publicly address as many of your concerns as possible. I also want to express my thanks to all of the Ministry workers who came to work today and did their jobs to the best of their ability, continuing to serve the people of Magical Britain.**_

 _ **Thank you again for your patience and willingness to work with me and the rest of the restructured Ministry of Magic to make Magical Britain a better place for everyone.**_

 _ **(signed) Amelia Susan Bones  
Governor General of Her Majesty's Magical Kingdom of Great Britain**_

 _While we at the Prophet still have many questions, especially about You-Know-Who and what the Ministry is doing about him, we recognize that the current situation is rapidly changing, and that any operations against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named need to remain secret for the immediate future. We will continue to investigate the situation and provide as much information as we can as we obtain it._

 _History of You-Know-Who's First Reign of Terror, p.4. List of known and accused Death Eaters, p.13._

She put down the paper and nodded, thankful that she didn't have to do anything about the article. She was surprised that they would be printing a list of accused Death Eaters, given how all of those who were not convicted kept protesting their innocence with lots of gold, but she figured it wasn't a bad idea. If nothing else, people might be more careful around those who had bribed their way to freedom last time.

She still had a lot of things on her plate, including figuring out what changes she could make to the laws right away, or at least how to enforce them differently, and what would have to wait for Percy Weasley's report. She'd gotten a brief note from him earlier that afternoon indicating that even the Ministry's own records were a mess, and that he didn't know if it was even possible to compile a complete list of the current laws from them. She'd sent a copy of it off to Gawain Robards, the new head Auror, asking him to provide both Percy and herself with a complete list of the laws and enforcement guidelines that the Auror department used in the hopes that it would be a good starting point.

She knew it wouldn't be available until tomorrow at the earliest, and that she should probably go home and get some sleep, but she felt like she needed to get at least something more done before she did. Looking out her office door at her protective detail, she called out, "Archer, Greenwood, I want your opinion on something."

The two Aurors came to her door, half looking in while keeping an eye out in the other direction at the same time. "Yes, Governor General," asked Greenwood.

"I want your honest opinions here," said Madam Bones. "No repercussions, no consequences, no BS. Just a straight honest answer, got it?"

"Yes, Ma'am," replied Archer, as Greenwood nodded his head.

"What's your opinion of werewolves? Not specific individuals, but as a whole?"

Archer raised an eyebrow, while Greenwood looked pensive. After a moment, Archer responded, "As a whole? I guess they're OK most of the time. As long as they're contained when they transform. They tend to be a bit grouchy most of the time, but I suppose I can't blame them for that. Why?"

"What about you, Greenwood?" asked Madam Bones.

Greenwood looked thoughtful for a moment, then said, "Personally, I don't really like them, but I have to admit that's because of a couple of specific individuals. As a whole, I guess I agree with Sean. As long as they keep themselves secured during the full moon, they're probably no worse than anyone else. I too would like to know why you're asking us."

Madam Bones nodded. "Because, we've got a woman downstairs who's a longtime Ministry employee, with an otherwise exemplary record, who it turns out is a werewolf and has been for the past three years. And while I know what the former Ministry rules were about that, I'm trying to figure out how I can treat her fairly without causing the public to panic. Besides, I suspect that long-term Her Majesty is going to want to treat their condition as a disease and not just a Dark Curse, and this is a good place to start."

Greenwood didn't look happy, but Archer nodded. "I can see that," he said. "As long as they're properly isolated during their transformation, there's no reason why they can't be productive members of society. That's not to say that they'd all want to be, but that's their choice."

"Exactly," replied Madam Bones, looking at Greenwood.

The Auror closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I don't like it," he said, opening his eyes, "but I can see your point. You realize that something like this isn't going to sit well with a lot of people."

Madam Bones nodded. "Yes, but at the same time maybe we can do something to give the werewolves incentive to behave. Like making the Wolfsbane Potion available at low cost or safe houses where they can be secured during their transformation in exchange for giving them more rights. If we make it easy enough for them to be safe, then we can also have harsher penalties for those who won't take advantage of it. Would that make you feel better?"

Greenwood nodded, and Archer smiled. "I think that would be very fair, and I can think of at least a couple of werewolves who would probably take you up on it in a heartbeat," he said. Both Madam Bones and Greenwood shot him curious looks, and he added, "I've run into a few of them over the years, and even become friendly with a couple. Like I said, they're grouchier than most, but otherwise decent people."

Madam Bones smiled. "That settles it for me," she declared. "Please send someone to fetch Miss Wetherell from the holding cells and bring her up here. I'd like to get her thoughts on the matter before I make a final decision. If she asks what's going on, you can let her know that I'm trying to resolve her case in a manner that's satisfactory to everyone, herself included."

"I'll take care of it," said Archer, who turned to leave. "I'll either be back shortly, or my replacement will."

"Thank you," said Madam Bones. After a few seconds she turned to Auror Greenwood and asked, "Want to talk about it?"

Greenwood looked surprised, then shook his head. "Not much to talk about," he said. "My best friend was attacked by a werewolf the summer before Hogwarts. Even if he could have attended, he didn't survive the first transformation. They never found the culprit either."

"I'm sorry," said Madam Bones. "And I agree that anyone who would do that intentionally needs to be put down. But if they're trying to behave, I think we should give them a chance and help them out."

"I can't say I like it, but you're the boss," he replied. "As long as I don't have to be friends with them, I'll live."

Madam Bones nodded her head sadly. "That's really all I can ask for."

Greenwood turned to leave, as Archer came back and said, "Robards was still at his desk, and said he'd go get her himself as soon as he finished something for you. He said it shouldn't be more than about ten minutes, which I figured was alright."

"Thanks, that gives me time to go to the loo and make some tea," she replied, and standing up exited her office, Archer and Greenwood shadowing her at a polite distance.


	25. The Calm Before the Storm

_Originally Posted 4/15/16, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 25: The Calm Before the Storm**

" _Paperwork,_ " thought Sirius Black, " _be it Wizard or Muggle, is a real pain._ " He'd just spent nearly six hours working with Harry, two members of the Crown Wizards' office, and a Muggle solicitor sorting out what would be needed to formally adopt Harry in the Muggle world. " _Not Muggle_ _,_ " he corrected himself, " _non-Magical_ _. That's going to take a lot of getting used to, but looking at it from Her Majesty's point of view I can see why she doesn't like the term._ "

They'd had lunch with the Queen and her husband, Prince Philip, and the discussion had been rather eye-opening. The Prince was just as quick as Her Majesty, if not more so, and certainly didn't beat around the bush.

" _Tell me again why you Wizards look down upon those of us who aren't Magical?" he'd asked. "After all, there are so many more of us that even if we were lesser people than you, statistically we still have a greater chance of producing great things than you do."_

And he was right, Sirius admitted to himself, as much as he hated it. Even growing up rejecting his family's pure-blooded nonsense he'd still allowed himself to believe that non-Magicals were somehow lesser beings, who would never amount to much in the world. Knowing what he did now, it didn't make sense even back then, and he certainly didn't believe it anymore. Heck, he was starting to believe that it was Wizards who were the lesser beings, at least when it came to society and ingenuity.

It was during lunch that Her Majesty had mentioned her dislike of the term, "Muggle," and that she intended to have it removed from the official terminology used by the Ministry and press, even if she couldn't guarantee that it wouldn't be used in private contexts, like other derogatory terms used by intolerant people to label nearly every ethnic group out there. Sirius wasn't sure how quick or successful she would be, but he knew better than to tell her that she couldn't do it.

Looking back at the binder of paperwork, he shook his head in disbelief. Based on everything he had here, it might take longer to get his own life in order for the adoption than it was for Her Majesty, through Governor General Bones, to get Magical Britain straightened out. Even if he could get all the paperwork pushed through quickly, he was still going to have to establish a stable residency in the non-Magical world, something that could only be done in real time.

The thought of living full-time in the non-Magical world was both intriguing and terrifying for Sirius, having grown up as a pureblood living entirely within the Magical world. Still, if that's what it took to formally adopt Harry, he figured it would be a worthwhile learning experience. Besides, once he had a place of his own, he could probably convince Moony to share it with him, at least until his situation got better. He knew his friend had trouble keeping a job with his "furry little problem," and that his living arrangements were never the best.

The only problem with this whole situation was that it meant he couldn't formally adopt Harry for at least a year, possibly longer, depending on how everything went. While it might be possible for Her Majesty to push things through faster, Sirius had decided that he wasn't going to ask for any preferential treatment, since that sort of thing is what had led to much of the current situation in the first place. Fortunately, a temporary solution had been suggested by the solicitor: Harry was petitioning to become a Ward of the Court, who could then assign Sirius to be Harry's immediate guardian. It wasn't perfect, since anything regarding Harry would still have to be approved by the court first, but after some discussion everyone felt that it could be worked around easily enough to ensure both Harry and Sirius were treated properly.

Looking over at Harry, who was also just finishing putting his own binder of paperwork together, he smiled and said, "As much as I'm glad we're doing this, I'm even happier knowing that adopting you Magically will be so much easier."

Looking first at his own binder, then at Sirius's, Harry laughed and said, "I would hope so. I'm not sure anything could be more complicated or tedious than what we've spent most of the the day doing!"

This drew chuckles from both the Crown Wizards and the solicitor, who stood and extended his hand to Sirius. "Mister Black," he said, "I know this is all rather complicated and confusing for you, but I assure you that it could be much worse. Still, I think once you've gotten yourself established properly there shouldn't be any major hurdles to finalizing the adoption."

"Thank you," said Sirius, standing and shaking the man's hand. "I appreciate you putting up with all my questions, seeing as how I know nearly nothing about the non-Magical world."

The solicitor shook his head. "Actually, I get most of the same questions from everyone I work with on adoptions, Magical or not," he said. "Unless you work with them regularly like I do, very few people know much about the ins and outs of adoption law. Even most solicitors don't get into the details like I do, so you're in good company."

Sirius smiled slightly, and said, "I guess that makes me feel better. Is there anything else I need to know before I start the process of getting my life in order?"

"I don't think so, at least not until you've established residency and the like," replied the solicitor. "How about you, Harry, do you have any more questions for me?"

Harry shook his head. "No, sir," he answered, "I think if you told me anything more right now my head would explode." Turning to Sirius he added, "I don't know how you're still functioning. I barely have to do anything compared to you, and I'm still feeling a little overwhelmed."

Sirius smiled at Harry and said, "I guess it's just a matter of wanting it bad enough that I'm not going to let anything stop me. I'm finally free after fourteen years, and the only thing I know for sure that I want right now is to make sure the two of us can be a proper family. If that means suffering through all this paperwork, then that's what I'll do."

Harry's eyes shone as he looked at Sirius, then engulfed him in a hug. "Thanks, Sirius," he said quietly, "I don't think I can say how much that means to me."

Sirius patted Harry on the head and said, "I know, pup. Me too."

The solicitor smiled at the two of them and cleared his throat. "If that's all, I believe I'll be going now. As much as I am more than willing to do Her Majesty a favor on short notice, it is getting late and my wife will be waiting for me to have dinner. If you need further assistance, my contact information is in both of your binders. Also, Mister Black, I'll have someone in Her Majesty's service forward my bill to you, since you don't currently have a viable billing address."

"Of course," said Sirius as Harry released him, "I'll make sure to give you my address once I have one. Thank you again, and good evening."

The solicitor nodded, then looked to one of the Crown Wizards who said, "I'll see you out, sir," before leading him out the door.

Harry and Sirius sat down, gave a sigh, and then looked at each other, saying, "Now what?" in unison. They stared at each other blankly for a few seconds, before Sirius started laughing, causing Harry to lose it as well. Even the remaining Crown Wizard found it funny, and joined them for a moment before everyone recovered.

"If I may make a suggestion," said the Crown Wizard, "why don't you return to your rooms to drop off your things and freshen up, and then we can head down to the cafeteria for dinner. Her Majesty is busy this evening, and I figure you'd rather not just sit around your rooms on your own."

Harry nodded at Sirius, who nodded back. "Sounds like a plan. Shall we?" He picked up his binder and stood, as Harry did the same, before the three of them exited the room to return to their rooms.

* * *

On Saturday, Magical Britain was either extremely busy, or did very little, depending on who you were. While most of the people outside the Ministry stayed inside their homes, trying to figure out how to react to the news that Voldemort was back, the activity level in the Ministry actually increased, as plans were set in motion and information that had been gathered over the past couple days was assessed and acted upon.

Amelia Bones was probably the busiest person of all, going nearly non-stop for the entire day. For starters, Captain Lee made an unannounced visit first thing in the morning to discuss the plan for attacking Voldemort. Once he had departed, she put together some notes for a press release to be issued that afternoon, but held off issuing it as she hoped to include her other business for the day in it as well.

After that, she had met with Scrimgeour to discuss her proposed new werewolf rules, as well as her decision regarding Miss Wetherell. That had resulted in a rather heated argument about the pros and cons of letting werewolves mingle with "normal" society, which she had only won after she pointed out the fact that Miss Wetherell had already been doing so safely for nearly three years, and was only discovered because of the intense security sweep initiated by Her Majesty after the Charter was revoked.

Once Scrimgeour was at least willing to give her ideas a chance, she had then presented them to Mister Halford, asking for the Crown's opinion on the matter. After looking it over he had given it his provisional blessing, although he felt that it needed to be sent up the chain for further review. Given that it was still just her preliminary idea, she wasn't worried about possible changes, right now she just wanted to have something in place as a framework for giving a few volunteers a chance to test the waters. It was at that point, shortly before lunch, that she presented her ideas to the remainder of the Wizengamot, who had been tasked with advising her with regards to any changes that needed to be made in the immediate term.

That had taken most of the afternoon, to the point where she was afraid she would miss the deadline for getting the press release in the morning paper. That would be a rather big problem, since part of the announcement was that the Ministry would be completely closed tomorrow for a final security sweep before the MMS handed things back to the Aurors. Fortunately for her, the Wizengamot had finally agreed to her idea of a pilot program, with the understanding that nothing permanent would be enacted until the results of that program were analyzed.

Thus, it was nearly five o'clock Saturday evening before she finished the day's press release, and sent it off to all departments along with a copy to be published in the Prophet. " _I wonder if this is going to cause more or less of an outcry than today's release,_ " she thought. " _What are people more afraid of? Voldemort being 'out there' somewhere? Or werewolves being allowed in their midst?_ "

She didn't have long to wait to find out, as Barnabas Cuffe appeared at her office less than twenty minutes after she sent him the release. "Amelia, are you insane?" he had practically shouted at her as he came around the corner, only stopping when her Auror guards put their wands under his chin.

"That's Governor General Bones," she replied, "at least while we're on the record." Seeing Cuffe settle down, she waved off the Aurors and continued, "Have a seat, Barney, and we can talk off the record if you'd like."

Cuffe bristled at the nickname he knew that she knew he hated, but sat down calmly and merely grumbled, "It's Barnabas, Amelia. Now, off the record, are you insane? Letting werewolves run around in public? Are you trying to start a riot?"

Amelia stared at him for a moment, then laughed. "Oh, you nearly had me there, Barnabas," she said after a moment. "If I know you, you probably think this will give you something to sell papers with for at least a few weeks, if not longer. Go ahead, tell me I'm wrong."

Cuffe glared at her for a moment, then signed. "Well, no, you're not wrong, but I still think you're going to cause a panic if you go through with this."

"Worse than Voldemort being back?" she asked. Before he could answer, she continued, "Think about it: I'm not suggesting we just let werewolves run wild in the streets, nor am I making this a universal change right now. I'm just announcing a pilot program and asking for volunteers, to give everyone a chance to see what does and doesn't work while keeping the numbers limited to a handful. But if it works, and we can get all the werewolves to participate, we could potentially reduce the number of werewolf attacks here in Britain to nothing. Heck, within a few generations we could completely eliminate lycanthropy altogether!"

Cuffe stared at her, his eyes going wide. "You're serious about that, aren't you?" he said. "You think we can eliminate lycanthropy altogether? What if a werewolf doesn't want to cooperate?"

"This is off the record, right?" At Cuffe's nod, she went on. "Assuming the trial run works, I intend to make the final program mandatory, with stiff penalties for non-compliance. If a werewolf intentionally infects someone else, they'll be given a significant prison term before they get one last chance to comply with the program. If they do it again, I think they should be put down like the rabid dog they are."

Cuffe sat there digesting her words, not expecting the final piece. Finally he nodded slowly, before responding, "That... that's... quite a plan. Do you really think the werewolves will go for it?"

"I think most of them will," Amelia replied. "The one thing that werewolves want more than anything else is to be accepted, whether it's by their pack or by society. This gives them that, and even protects them from being discriminated against, and the only thing they really need to give up is their anonymity. And even that can be limited to those involved with the registration program. I'm not expecting them to all sign up overnight, but if we can demonstrate that it works, and give them time to get used to the idea, I think the vast majority of them will go for it. And the more werewolves who are under control using this program, the more resources it will free up to deal with the few remaining rogues who don't cooperate."

"You've really thought this through, haven't you?" he asked. "What brought this on?"

"Someone we detained in the security sweep turned out to be a previously undiscovered werewolf, and before you ask I won't tell you who they are," she said, giving him a hard look. "What I will say is that they have been a productive member employee of the Ministry for almost three years since being bitten, and if it hadn't been for the intense scrutiny we put everyone under on Thursday they probably wouldn't have been discovered even then. And if one werewolf can safely be a part of society, why can't more? Besides, despite being called a curse, lycanthropy acts more like a disease, and I know for a fact that denying peoples' rights due to a medical condition isn't going to survive Her Majesty's scrutiny."

Cuffe thought about everything she had said for a few minutes, and found he had to agree with her assessment of what was likely to happen. "OK, I can see that something's going to change, whether anyone likes it or not. Is there anything I can do to help that won't hurt my bottom line?"

Amelia grinned, thinking that the Prophet might as well be named the Profit instead. "Just stick to the truth, and don't try to sensationalize it. Go ahead and do your research on lycanthropy and werewolves, and anything else relating to them that you like. Just make sure you double-check your facts before you go to print. I'm not telling you to only print favorable stories, just make sure that if you print something you can back it up, and you'll be OK."

"In other words, nothing that could get us sued under the new libel laws you threatened me with yesterday," said Cuffe. "I get it," he sighed, as Amelia smiled and nodded. "You've given me a lot to think about, and certainly some good angles for investigative reports if nothing else. Who knows, maybe I can get Rita to do a straightforward, honest piece if it's interesting enough to her." He shook his head, grimacing slightly. "Anyway, I've got a paper to print, and I'm sure you've got plenty to do yourself. Good evening, Governor General."

"Good evening, Mister Cuffe," Amelia replied, nodding as he left her office. She considered their conversation and decided that she would have to give him something to run with if he actually followed up and made good on his offer to help. Changing the law was one thing, but changing the hearts and minds was another, and good press, especially if it was theoretically independent from the Ministry's own propaganda, would go a long way towards making it happen. She considered working on her draft legislation some more, but decided it was better to prepare for tomorrow's activity. Despite technically being an excuse to keep people out of the Ministry, she intended to do just what she'd announced, and do a top-to-bottom sweep of the entire building looking for anything out of place.

Taking a Ministry memo sheet, she scribbled a quick note to Scrimgeour before folding it up and sending it winging away to him. It was time to start putting plans in motion.

* * *

Saturday had also been busy for the MMS, as they prepared for their assault on Voldemort's base of operations. There had been three groups, working in parallel, each with their own equally important task.

The first had been taken on by Major French personally, as his prior service in the SAS gave him both insight and credibility in dealing with them to prepare for the evacuation of Little Hangleton early the next morning. He was initially alarmed when a couple of his former comrades had commented on his disappearing on a Magical Mystery Tour, but quickly realized that they meant it in the mundane sense of the term, and not the very real nature of his current posting.

It had taken the better part of the morning to go over everything, but when he was finished he felt confident that once the SAS had evacuated everyone, Little Hangleton would be as devoid of life as the graveyard they'd located just outside the Riddle Manor. There had been a little grumbling by some of the men about playing second fiddle to an unknown military unit, but once the Major informed everyone that the entire operation, including his presence at the briefing, was covered under the Official Secrets Act, nobody dared question him further.

The second task, which took most of the day and would continue up until the operation commenced, was taking the various pieces of intelligence they had on both the area and the people involved, and putting together the plan for maximizing damage to the enemy while minimizing casualties. By the time they broke for dinner they felt they had a very good plan, but understood that once things started happening there was no way to guarantee that it would actually work. As Helmuth von Moltke was often paraphrased, "No plan survives first contact with the enemy."

It was the third task that was both the most difficult on its participants, and the one that held the greatest risk. After re-interrogating the Death Eaters in custody again, other than Snape, there was the question of whether or not they could be used in any way to assist the operation. While Snape had been cooperative from the start and had by now convinced them that he truly wanted to see Voldemort taken down, the other three prisoners were "true believers," and held no remorse for anything they had done.

However, as the interrogations wound down, one of the Death Eaters began to crack slightly; not that she felt remorse for her victims, but instead was concerned about how her execution would affect her daughter, who was only sixteen. After some discussion with both the mission planning team, as well as the Crown Wizards, it was decided to offer her a chance to help in exchange for a chance to spare her life.

"Madam Edgecombe," said Captain Lee, as he entered the room where she was being interrogated. "I have a one-time offer for you that may spare your life. It's only good until I leave this room. Are you interested?"

Madam Edgecombe looked at him warily, then at her interrogators. Looking back at Captain Lee she said, "What's the offer?"

"At some point in the near future, we wish to send a message to the so-called Dark Lord, and we want it to be hand delivered. Naturally we cannot do so ourselves, but as one of his marked followers you would be able to do so."

"And he'd kill me on the spot for helping you!" spat Madam Edgecombe.

"That would be a risk, yes," said Captain Lee. "But think of it this way: if you don't help us, you will be hung. If you do help us, there's a chance you'll survive. Isn't a small chance better than none?"

Madam Edgecombe glared at him, then sighed. "What exactly would I have to do to survive?"

"First of all, if you agree to help you'll have to be Obliviated so you can't reveal anything we don't want you to. When the time comes, you'll be allowed to respond to Voldemort's summons carrying a letter for him. After that, you just need to keep your head down and surrender without a fight when ordered to."

"How do I know you won't take advantage of my Obliviation and just hang me anyway?" she asked.

"If you take the deal, we'll put it in writing before anything else happens," said Captain Lee. "We'll even provide you with a solicitor so you know it's legitimate."

She thought for a minute, then nodded. "I'll do it, but on two conditions." Captain Lee started to say something, but she continued on before he could get a word in. "One, I want a Portkey out rather than having to wait for you to arrive. Otherwise my chances are no better than without helping you."

"I'll look into the possibility," said Captain Lee, "but no promises. And two?"

"Two," said Madam Edgecombe, "I want to be able to see my daughter regularly while I'm in prison. And no Portkey, no deal."

"As I said, I'll look into the Portkey," he replied. "As for your daughter visiting, she'll be allowed to visit per normal prison regulations, assuming she wants to. I can't force her to visit you."

Madam Edgecombe considered his words before nodding. "Get me the Portkey and a solicitor to look over the details, and you've got a deal."

"I'll get back to you in the next day or so," said Captain Lee. Turning to her interrogators he added, "I'm done, and I don't think we need anything more from her, so please return her to her cell."

"Yes, sir," they replied, and began releasing Madam Edgecombe from her confinement as Captain Lee turned and left.

* * *

Shortly after two o'clock Sunday morning, the residents of the village of Little Hangleton were roused from their slumber to uniformed soldiers knocking on their doors. It took a little over two hours to get everyone evacuated, but by 4:30am the only people left in the vicinity of Little Hangleton were a few SAS observers, two MMS surveillance teams watching the old Riddle house, and the residents of said house.

The residents of Little Hangleton, once they got over being uprooted in the middle of the night and taken by fairly uncomfortable lorry to a nearby military base, were given cots to sleep on until morning. At 7am, they were invited to enjoy a hot breakfast while they waited to be given more information about what was happening, which further appeased their discommodiousness. Shortly after 8am, with most people awake and fed, the base commander arrived with a SAS Major to address the group.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have your attention please," said the base commander. Once he had most of the attention on him, he continued, "I hope you have found your accommodations acceptable for the time being, and once the briefing is over if there are any special requests I will do my best to fulfill them. But first, this is Major Niblock, who will provide some additional information about why you were evacuated from your homes and when you can expect to return to them. Major," he gestured to the Major, then stepped back.

Major Niblock stepped forward, surveyed the crowd, then began. "This morning, you were all evacuated from your homes because of a credible report of a National Security threat located nearby. Due to the seriousness of the threat, along with the very high credibility of the report, it was decided to evacuate you, the residents of Little Hangleton, prior to taking any action to further investigate and if necessary neutralize the threat.

"While I cannot provide any more details as to the exact nature of the threat, I can tell you that we believe it to be located just outside of the village, rather than inside the village proper, and that the evacuation is purely precautionary. While we are not expecting any damage to your homes or businesses, the Home Secretary was unwilling to risk the lives of British citizens should the threat prove to be real and greater than expected."

"When can we go home?" shouted a man from the crowd.

"I cannot tell you exactly when you will be allowed back," replied the Major, "both for operational security reasons and because I honestly don't know exactly when the situation will be deemed safe. Also, for similar security reasons, you will not be allowed to leave the base or communicate with anyone until such time as you are allowed to return home. I do know that you will be allowed back just as soon as the threat is either determined to be a false alarm, or if confirmed just as soon as it has been neutralized and the area cleared of any potential danger. I was authorized to give you a best guess of no more than 72 hours, but that's not guaranteed."

"Three days!" shouted someone else, "what about my job?"

"You can't just keep us cooped up in here!" shouted another.

"Her Majesty's government is prepared to compensate each and every individual here with fifty pounds per day for the inconvenience, plus any documented losses you can present to us after you are allowed to return home," said the Major. "That includes lost wages, average daily business revenue for those of you who own businesses in town, and any other expenses incurred as a direct result of your evacuation. Additionally, anyone who is unable to report to work because of this situation should come speak to me where we're finished, and Her Majesty's government will make sure that your employer is aware that your absence is to be excused without repercussion beyond the loss of wages. And again, if you can document those lost wages they will be reimbursed when this is over. Are there any more questions?"

"Are we going to be stuck inside here until we go home?"

The base commander stepped forward and said, "I'll answer that one. Later today, once we get some organizing done, we will arrange for groups to be allowed outside on the base under supervision. While I'm sure this is less than what you'd all like, we do need to maintain a certain level of security, both in regards to the current operation as well as the simple fact that this is an active military base."

"What about the kids? Where can they play?" asked a woman holding a toddler.

"We do have a playground on the base for resident children, and we'll make sure that your kids get to play there too. I'm also working on organizing a base tour for those who are interested, so that you can see at least a little of what goes on here under normal conditions. I'm sorry that I can't provide more, but again security dictates that things are kept relatively quiet until the situation is resolved. Anything else?"

There were some murmurs and grumbles, but nobody spoke up any further. "Very well," said the commander. "The Major and I will be over at that table," he pointed to a long table near the door they'd come in, "and anyone who needs anything is welcome to come and speak to us. We are in the process of setting up shower facilities for everyone, and should have that completed by lunchtime. Lunch will be served here the same way as breakfast; I'm working on something special for dinner, and I don't want to spoil the surprise. I want to say again how much both Her Majesty's government and I appreciate your cooperation in this matter, and if you have any questions or needs please let us know right away. Thank you."

The base commander looked around one last time, then nodded to the Major and the two of them went over to the table that they'd indicated earlier. After a minute many of the adults started gravitating towards them, forming an impromptu queue as they approached. It would be over an hour later before the queue was empty, and while nobody was really happy about the situation, they at least felt better for being listened to.


	26. Divined Intervention

_Originally Posted 5/6/16, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

The text of the prophecy is taken from Chapter 37 of _Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_ by J.K. Rowling, modified slightly for my purposes.

 **Chapter 26: Divined Intervention**

Peter Pettigrew, better known as Wormtail, scuttled along the wall down an empty corridor in the Ministry of Magic, wishing for not the first time that there were more shadows to hide in. His mission was simple: infiltrate the Ministry, find out when the Muggle soldiers were leaving, and return to the Dark Lord with that information or die trying. Well, that last bit wasn't officially part of his mission, but the implication was clear. If he returned without the information, the Dark Lord would most assuredly kill him for failing; and if he didn't return at all, the Dark Lord would hunt him down and kill him if he wasn't dead already.

He actually thought he preferred the idea of being found and killed by the Muggles to that of dying at the Dark Lord's hand. It would most likely be less painful, and almost certainly less humiliating. Still, he was too much of a coward to simply reveal himself and let them arrest him, and so he continued to prowl the Ministry hoping to hear something he could take back to his master without reprisal. Not that he expected to learn much at the present hour, being nearly five in the morning, but there was no point in leaving the Ministry before he had something to report and he didn't dare sleep for fear of being caught.

Hearing footsteps approaching, he ducked into the alcove of a closed doorway, where he could hopefully hide in the slight shadow it cast. He still hadn't heard anything more concrete than "soon," and couldn't risk being seen even if he wasn't recognized. What he was unaware of was the fact that his presence in the Ministry had been known since he arrived the day before, though it had only been recently that his identity had been confirmed when someone spotted him visually. Thus he had no reason to suspect that anything he heard was not the truth.

"I can't wait to go home on Monday," said one of the two soldiers who came down the hall. "Doing patrol duty is bad enough, but getting stuck with the graveyard shift is the worst."

"You don't have to tell me twice," replied his partner. "I still don't see why we're even patrolling these corridors overnight, it's not like there's anyone here who hasn't been thoroughly screened at the security checkpoint."

They moved past the doorway where Wormtail crouched, seemingly unaware of his presence. Wormtail didn't dare move, despite having finally heard what he'd come to find out.

"Eh," said the first soldier, "what can you do. Orders are orders. Still, it'll be nice to stand down and get some R&R Monday night."

"True that," said the second, as they reached the end of the corridor and turned left down the next one.

The second they were out of sight, Wormtail streaked back the way they had come from, heading for the lifts to get him out of there. As he did so, he failed to notice one of the soldiers sticking a head back around the corner, watching him go for a second before pulling back out of sight. It only took a few minutes for Wormtail to escape the Ministry, using the employee Floo to escape into Muggle London, where he changed back to his human form before Apparating himself back to the Dark Lord's lair.

* * *

"Do ya think he bought it?" whispered the soldier who hadn't looked around the corner after a minute.

"Hook, line and sinker," whispered his partner, who then signaled to continue their patrol. It wouldn't do to drop appearances until Pettigrew was out of the building, just in case he actually noticed something was amiss.

Less than fifteen minutes later they were called back to their command post, located just outside the former Minister's office. "The wards tripped five minutes ago, and our spotters confirmed it," said the watch commander. "Pettigrew has left the building, and did so shortly after you spotted him. Good work you two, now go get your things ready to pull out once the Aurors arrive in the morning."

The two soldiers saluted, then left to follow their orders. They'd be leaving soon, but rest would have to wait.

* * *

The MMS surveillance team watching the south side of the Riddle house spotted Pettigrew's arrival back in Little Hangleton, confirming that he had returned to his master with the information that had been fed to him. Not that he had any idea they were there; he was just glad to have escaped the Ministry, knowing that if he was caught there he was as good as dead. Of course, he might be dead anyway, but he hoped that the Dark Lord would be kind to him when he brought his information.

Pettigrew entered the Dark Lord's "throne room" with trepidation, though he did his best not to show it. As always, the Dark Lord sat there impassively, waiting for Wormtail as though he had nothing else to do.

"Ah, Wormtail," said Voldemort as Pettigrew knelt and bowed before him. "I was beginning to wonder if you had decided to try and flee from my service."

"No, master," groveled Pettigrew, "I would never do that. You know I am only loyal to you."

"I can smell your lie, Wormtail, but I will let it go until I hear what you have to say. Now, tell me what you have learned, and why it took so long to return."

"Y-yes, my Lord," said Pettigrew, "you told me not to return until I had learned the information you wanted. I was unable to do so until just now, and I returned with it right away. The Muggles patrolling the Ministry are much less talkative than the usual Wizards."

"You try my patience, Wormtail," intoned Voldemort dangerously.

"S-sorry, my Lord. Tomorrow," said Pettigrew, "that is Monday morning, they plan to hand over control to the Aurors and withdraw. The Ministry will be closed today so they can do some sort of final security check before then."

"And how did you learn of this if the Muggles have been so quiet about things?"

"Two soldiers were complaining to each other about having to patrol in the middle of the night, and one of them said they were happy to be going home Monday."

Voldemort thought for a moment, then nodded. "You have done well, Wormtail, and shall be rewarded." Pettigrew looked up at Voldemort with hope in his eyes just in time to hear, " _Crucio,_ " before his world exploded in pain and he curled up on the ground. Voldemort held the curse just a little bit longer than strictly necessary, before releasing Pettigrew and saying, "Go, Wormtail, get out of my sight until I summon you again. I must think about this news."

After a moment, Pettigrew was able to pick himself up and bowed, saying, "Yes, my Lord," before withdrawing to the safety of his room.

* * *

When Amelia Bones arrived at her office at eight o'clock Sunday morning, she was surprised to see that it was already occupied. While the guard stationed outside the office let her know her visitor had been cleared, her apprehension level wasn't appreciably reduced when she realized who it was that was waiting for her.

"Amelia, we have a problem," he said, as he stood and motioned for her to close the door.

"You're not helping any, Croaker," she replied, as she nodded to her escorts and they stepped out and closed the door.

"I'd tell you I was sorry," Croaker said, as he pulled his wand and started casting privacy spells.

"But you aren't," interjected Amelia. "You never are."

Acknowledging the truth of her statement, he finished casting his spells and waited for her to sit before retaking his seat. "From what I understand, the Muggle forces are planning on attacking Voldemort sometime in the next day or two, is that correct?"

Amelia gave him a hard look, then realized that if anyone in the Ministry could have figured out what was going on, it was him. Croaker had been the Head Unspeakable since before she had started in the Ministry, and his reputation preceded him. "I can't give you any details, but that's a reasonable assumption," she said after a moment.

"In that case," said Croaker, his face turning deadly serious, "we need to find Mister Potter right away and find out what this says." He held up a silvery box, roughly six inches on a side, then opened it to show her what was inside.

"A prophecy orb? What does that have to do with Mister Potter?" asked Amelia, as she suddenly felt fear in the pit of her stomach.

"After the events of this past Thursday, I've been working to ensure that anything in the Department of Mysteries that might be important to Voldemort has been secured. Yesterday, I came across this; the tag reads, 'S.P.T. to A.P.W.B.D., Dark Lord and question mark Harry Potter.'"

Amelia sat back in her chair and blew out a long breath. "You're right, we do need to know what that says right away. I don't have direct access to Mister Potter, but I believe I know who does. Wait here, I'll send a message and hopefully get them here shortly." At Croaker's nod she stood and waited for him to take down the privacy wards, then stepped out to speak to her Auror guards. She needed to get a message to Mister Adlington right away.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Charles Adlington was sitting in the Governor General's office nursing a headache. He had little experience with prophecies, but most of what he knew was that they never worked out exactly the way you expected them to. After hearing that only Harry Potter or Voldemort would be able to activate the prophecy orb, he'd rubbed his temples and said, "Hasn't enough been put on that boy's shoulders already?" which had gotten a sympathetic nod from Madam Bones but a snort from Croaker.

"Tell me, Mister Adlington, did it occur to you that all of those things might be the result of the prophecy, and not the other way around? I suspect that once we know what this says we'll have a better idea of how to take some of that weight off of his shoulders, even if we have to pile more on to begin with."

The Chief Wizard frowned, then considered that for a moment before reluctantly agreeing. "I need to speak to Sir Harry before we do anything more, and I suspect Her Majesty will also want to be involved. After all, anything that prevents her from exercising her rightful rule will be of utmost concern to her."

Now it was Croaker's turn to be reluctant, but after a moment he nodded. Now was not the time to maintain secrecy for form's sake, even if it was a very old habit. "Either they can come here, or I can bring the orb to them. But I suggest we do this as quickly as possible in case it affects other plans."

The Chief Wizard turned to Amelia with a concerned look, but before he could ask she simply said, "Croaker has more connections than anyone else in the Ministry, except perhaps Dumbledore before he was removed. I don't know how much he knows and how much is just guesses, but he won't say anything to anyone, that's just his way. I suspect agreeing to reveal as much as he has already was not easy for him."

Croaker gave another nod of acknowledgment, and the Chief Wizard relaxed slightly. "Give me an hour to figure out who needs to go where, and either we'll come here or send word of how to come to us."

"I will remain here waiting," said Croaker, who took down the privacy wards then relaxed into his chair.

Amelia gave him a look, which he ignored, before giving up and nodding. " _We,_ " she said, stressing the word, "will be here waiting."

The Chief Wizard gave a brief chuckle, then left to return to the palace.

* * *

The Queen was not pleased to have her morning disrupted, but fortunately being Sunday she was able to make excuses and change her plans. Although skeptical at the concept of prophecy, she understood that there was power in belief, and that at the very least it needed to be investigated. Not wanting to cause any undue delays, she summoned not only Harry and Sirius, but also Major French and Captain Lee, then sent the Chief Wizard to retrieve Croaker and the prophecy.

Major French had been unable to break away from his SAS liaison duties and get to the palace quickly, but Captain Lee arrived outside the Queen's study just as Harry and Sirius did. "What happened?" he asked, slightly out of breath.

"We don't know," replied Sirius, with Harry nodding, "we just got told to show up right away and here we are."

A moment later they were admitted to the Queen's study, where she sat behind her desk looking pensive. Once introductions and pleasantries had been exchanged and the steward departed, she motioned them to sit. Once they were all seated, she asked, "Can any of you tell me anything about prophecy? It appears that there is one that could impact our plans."

Captain Lee shook his head, and Harry replied, "Isn't Divination a rather woolly subject?"

But Sirius looked stricken and whispered, "Is that what they were guarding? Merlin! How could I have forgotten about that?"

They all looked at him but it was Harry who spoke first. "What is it Sirius, what did you forget?"

"The prophecy," he said quietly. "I had forgotten that it was a prophecy that prompted your parents into hiding. That's why Voldemort was targeting your family, and so they hid behind the Fidelius Charm." Sirius slumped in his chair. "I'm sorry, Harry, I had totally forgotten about it!"

Harry gave his godfather a hug and said, "That's okay, Sirius, you've had more important things on your mind. Now, what did it say?"

"That's just it, I don't think I ever knew. They just told me that it existed and was why they needed to go into hiding, but not any of the details. Probably so that nobody could get it out of me if I was captured."

"A wise precaution," said Captain Lee. He then turned to the Queen and added, "If the so-called Dark Lord believes in this prophecy, that at least makes it tactically relevant. Hopefully it will work in our favor, but until we know the details there's no telling what impact it will have."

"I agree," she said, "which is why I have sent Charles to retrieve a Mister Croaker to bring it here where we can all listen to it and decide what to do."

At the mention of Croaker's name, Sirius blanched and asked, "Croaker?"

"I believe that was the name Charles gave me. Is there something I should know about him?"

"I've only heard rumors, Ma'am, but if they're true he's the Head Unspeakable." At her questioning look, he added, "Officially they're in charge of Magical research for the Ministry, but nobody who's not one of them actually knows what they really do, and there's a lot of rumors about what that could be. Everything from mad experimentation to being elite Hit Wizards, but nobody's ever been able to get them to confirm or deny any of them."

"Hence the name, Unspeakable," sad the Queen, grinning slightly. "Perhaps they are the Magical equivalent of MI-5 or MI-6."

Captain Lee nodded, and added, "While I don't have any more information than Mister Black, I would certainly agree that they probably fill at least some of the same roles."

"Then let us hope that he has some useful information for us when he arrives," said the Queen, something they all agreed with.

* * *

Ten minutes later, there was a small commotion outside the door. Captain Lee drew his wand, but before he could investigate it the Queen's phone lit up. She pressed the button, and the Chief Wizard stepped in. "My apologies, Your Majesty, there was a minor disagreement about who would be permitted in your presence. Governor General Bones insisted on accompanying Mister Croaker, and her protective escorts are reluctant to leave her unattended."

"An admirable sentiment, but while I feel comfortable with the Governor General's presence, I would prefer my own security to hers."

"Of course, Ma'am," replied the Chief Wizard. "Governor General Bones understands as well, and is currently making the situation clear to her escorts. Do you wish to have any additional security present before I bring in Mister Croaker and Governor General Bones?"

The Queen looked at Captain Lee, who shook his head. "I do not believe that additional personnel are needed," he said. "With your permission, I'll keep my wand drawn and my service weapon ready."

"Permission granted," said the Queen, and Captain Lee stepped to the side and took up a defensive position. Turning back to her Chief Wizard, she said, "Please show Governor General Bones and Mister Croaker in."

Nodding, the Chief Wizard went back to the door and stepped out for a moment before returning followed by Madam Bones and Croaker, both of whom had apparently changed into more mundane clothing. "Your Majesty," said the Chief Wizard, "Governor General Amelia Bones of the Magical Kingdom of Great Britain, and Mister Saul Croaker, Head Unspeakable."

Both Madam Bones and Croaker bowed and said, "Your Majesty."

"Thank you for coming. This is Sir Harry Potter and Mister Sirius Black," she said pointing to them, "and Captain Lee of the Magical Military Squad. Now, please take a seat," said the Queen, not taking her eyes off Croaker. After they were seated, she hardened her gaze at the Unspeakable and said pointedly, "Mister Croaker, our time is limited so please share with us everything you know about this prophecy."

Croaker gulped as he felt the force of will behind her statement, and nodded in acknowledgment. Deciding that Muggle or not, this was one person he had no desire to cross, he opened the box he had been carrying. "Your Majesty, this is a prophecy orb. They are created magically whenever a true prophecy is given within the Magical Kingdom of Great Britain, and contain a complete copy of said prophecy. Each orb is automatically identified by the initials of the seer who gave the prophecy and the person or persons to whom the prophecy was given, as well as anyone named in the prophecy. Once the orb is created, the Keeper of the Hall of Prophecies is notified, who will listen to the prophecy to attempt to determine who the prophecy is about. Depending on the exact wording, the people the prophecy is about may be unknown at the time the prophecy is spoken, or the prophecy may have the ability to refer to more than one person; in those cases, the best guess is made about who the prophecy is about and cataloged as well. Other than the Keeper, who is Magically sworn to secrecy, the prophecy orb is protected so that only the subjects of the prophecy may take it to be listened to.

"This prophecy, Your Majesty, was identified as 'S.P.T. to A.P.W.B.D., Dark Lord and question mark Harry Potter.'"

Harry gasped, as did Madam Bones, but Sirius let out a growl until Harry put a hand on his shoulder. "What is it, Sirius?" asked Harry.

"A.P.W.B.D.," said Sirius. "Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Whatever this prophecy says, it was made to Dumbledore. I take it he never told you about it?"

"No, he didn't," replied Harry. "So I guess we'd better hear it so we know what's going on."

Croaker nodded and held out the box to Harry. "Try to take the orb," he said. "If it feels wrong, let go right away, and we'll know it's not actually about you."

Harry stood and went over to the box, then picked up the orb with both hands. It felt slightly warm to the touch, but otherwise there was no reaction. "Well, I guess that proves it's about me," he said, not sounding happy as he returned to his seat.

"Now, to play it," Croaker started to say, before he stopped. "I'm sorry, you'll need your wand to play it, but I'm guessing it was confiscated before you entered." He looked towards the Queen and asked, "Would it be possible for Mister Potter to have his wand?"

The Queen grinned at him and replied, "There's no need, Mister Croaker. Sir Harry is permitted to carry his wand in our presence. We won't have one of our personal Knights going unarmed."

For the first time in many years, Saul Croaker was at a loss for words, as he watched Sir Harry James Potter produce his wand and show it to the Head Unspeakable. Shaking his head slightly, he pulled himself together and instructed Harry how to play the recording in the orb. "Hold the orb out in one hand, and tap the top of the orb with your wand. When you do that, the speaker will be projected above the orb and speak the prophecy. If you want to pause it, tap the orb while the recording is playing, and tap it again to resume. If you want to hear it again, just tap the orb again once it's finished."

Harry nodded, then held out the prophecy orb and his wand. Just before he tapped the orb, he looked to Sirius who nodded and gave him a wan smile. Summoning his Gryffindor courage he tapped the orb, all the while dreading what he might hear.

A pearly-white figure with hugely magnified eyes rose into the air and began to speak. " _The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. … Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies … and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will know power the Dark Lord knows not … and either must die at the word of the other for neither can live while the other survives. … The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies. …_ "

Harry let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding, while Sirius carefully engulfed him in a hug. "You okay, pup?" he asked.

Harry considered the question, then shook his head. "No, I'm not," he said. "Why is it always me that has to take care of things?" he asked plaintively.

Sirius started to say, "I don't know," but Croaker interrupted him. "I'm not sure that's the only possible interpretation, Mister Potter. Would you please play the prophecy again? I'd like to verify that I've transcribed it properly, and then I'll give you my opinion."

Sirius gave Harry another hug, then encouraged him to play it again. He did so, and saw Croaker make a few more notes and then nod to himself when it finished.

"If I may, Mister Potter, I believe I understand what you're concerned about, and may have a possible solution," said Croaker. At Harry's nod to continue, he said, "First off, I believe you're concerned about the part that says 'neither can live while the other survives,' correct?" Getting another nod, he continued, "I think that you probably already knew that part, even if you didn't realize it was part of a prophecy. Voldemort will not rest until he has killed you, whether it's because you are the only one to have defeated him before, or because he somehow knows at least part of the prophecy. And as long as he's trying to kill you, you cannot live your life as you see fit. Thus, the only possible solution is that one of you dies, and you are wondering how you can be the one who doesn't given who you are and who he is, yes?"

Harry nodded. "How am I, a barely fifth year student, supposed to kill Voldemort?"

The Queen echoed Harry and said, "Yes, Mister Croaker, how can you propose that a fifteen year-old boy kill anyone, let alone the so-called Dark Lord?"

"He doesn't have to," said Croaker, and even Madam Bones looked at him funny. Shrugging inwardly, he said, "Let's look at the first part of that same sentence. It says that 'either must die at the word of the other.' Not the hand, not the wand, not any physical act, but the word."

"And he tried to kill me by casting a spell, which involves saying words!" interjected Harry, getting upset.

"That's true," said Croaker, as Sirius tried to calm Harry down, "and had he succeeded I suspect that the prophecy would have been fulfilled. However, due to something that I suspect your mother did, the spell failed to kill you, and ultimately he was the one who was affected. I believe that the power of the prophecy is how he survived in the first place; not because of anything he did himself, but because his original defeat was at the hands of Lily Potter and not the words of her son. Otherwise the orb would no longer be active as the prophecy would have already been fulfilled. Still, I believe that there's another possible way to fulfill the prophecy without having to face him directly. I believe that if Voldemort were to die because you told someone to kill him, that would also satisfy the prophecy. If you were to 'give the word,' so to speak."

Harry looked at Croaker in disbelief. "So while I don't have to kill Voldemort myself, I have to tell someone to kill him?" Harry hid his face in his hands as he said, "That's not really making me feel much better."

Sirius hugged Harry as the others looked on in awkward silence for a moment. Finally, the Queen spoke up and said, "Mister Croaker, are you certain that this prophecy is true? Does it require that Sir Harry be the one to kill the so-called Dark Lord?"

Croaker shrugged. "Nothing is certain with prophecy, Ma'am. Only in hindsight can one ever truly know what a prophecy meant. However, based on what has happened previously, plus the fact that I suspect that Voldemort believes it to be true, makes me believe that until Mister Potter's words lead directly to his death, Voldemort will not be permanently defeated. "

The Queen studied Croaker's face for a moment, then turned to Harry. "Sir Harry, please look at us." Harry lifted his head out of his hands and looked at the Queen, a few tears visible on his cheeks. "We cannot and will not ask you to do this. We have already placed too much of a burden on you than is reasonable, and find ourselves unwilling to do so again. However, should you choose to accept this burden, we will provide our full support both to see your task accomplished and to assist you with dealing with the aftermath."

Harry looked at the Queen with mixed emotions. While he was grateful for her support, he couldn't believe that she was giving him permission to order someone killed. Finally he looked at Croaker and asked, "How am I supposed to tell someone to kill someone else?"

Croaker had no answer, but Captain Lee spoke up. "It's never easy to give an order like that, son. It shouldn't be. Taking someone's life is not something you can undo, and should never be done without careful thought if possible. But look at the alternative. How many people will die if Voldemort isn't put down? Heck, if I understand the prophecy, until you fulfill it, you're never going to be certain he's not going to come back and try to kill you. I know this isn't an easy choice to make, but it seems to me that even if it's preemptive, you'd still be acting in self-defense. While you should always look for other ways to resolve the situation, sometimes there's no other way to protect yourself and those you care about."

"Sir Harry, you are the one who must live with your decision, and so we leave it up to you. Would you perhaps like a few minutes to think things over?" asked the Queen.

Harry thought for a minute and nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty, thank you." Turning to Sirius, he asked, "Will you come with me?"

"Of course," Sirius replied. "Anywhere, anytime."

"Thanks," said Harry, and the two of them excused themselves to return to his room to talk privately.

* * *

While Harry and Sirius were out of the room, Madam Bones brought up her ideas for dealing with Britain's werewolves to get the Queen's opinion. After having the issue explained, along with the proposed solution, the Queen turned to Croaker and asked his opinion.

"Personally, I think it's a great idea," he said, much to everyone's surprise. "But I'm probably not a good gauge of public opinion."

"And why not," asked the Queen.

"Because I know more about werewolves than most people alive, let alone British wizards. As an Unspeakable, I've both studied lycanthropy a bit myself and seen the results of other Unspeakables' research. People fear what they don't know, and while I have a healthy respect for the potential danger they pose, I don't fear them in general. The Governor General's proposal, at least for those werewolves that went along with it, would go a long way towards removing that danger. As long as they're contained while under the influence of the moon, there's no reason not to treat them as people the rest of the time."

The Queen nodded. While she hadn't been expecting that response, she thought it was well reasoned. "And what do you suggest we do about the werewolves who don't agree to cooperate? How do you prevent them from causing trouble?"

Croaker looked the Queen straight in the eye and said, "You treat them the same as a vicious dog that can't be tamed and put them down." Both Madam Bones and the Chief Wizard gasped, while Captain Lee just nodded and the Queen raised an eyebrow. "Werewolves are just like any other wild animal outside of the fact that they can infect others. As long as they behave and leave humans alone, they can live as they like. But if they become a threat to society, there's no choice but to euthanize them. It's really not that much different from the choice Mister Potter is having to make if you think about it."

The Queen nodded slowly, as did Madam Bones and the Chief Wizard after a moment. "Thank you for your frank assessment, Mister Croaker," said the Queen. "Perhaps you could continue to advise Governor General Bones as she works through this and other issues?"

"Of course, Your Majesty," he said, and Madam Bones gave him a grateful smile.

Before he could say anything else, the phone buzzed and the Queen held up a hand before letting the steward in. Harry and Sirius followed, and after bowing politely the steward excused himself.

"Welcome back, Sir Harry, Mister Black," said the Queen.

If anyone noticed that Harry's eyes were red, nobody commented on it. Harry appeared to pull himself together, then stepped forward with his head held high. "Your Majesty," he started, with a slight catch in his voice, "as difficult as it was, I've made a decision." The Queen nodded, but said nothing so he continued. "After careful consideration, it is clear that Voldemort will remain a threat to not only myself, but to all of Magical Britain and even into the non-Magical world until the prophecy is fulfilled. I have no delusions that I will be able to kill him myself, therefore I have no choice but to ask that you instruct your troops that he is not to be taken alive even if he attempts to surrender. Fortunately, given my experiences with him, Voldemort will never surrender, even if he attempts to flee." Harry stood at attention for several seconds more, then slumped and looked over at Croaker, saying, "I hope that was enough to satisfy the prophecy."

Croaker nodded and said, "I hope so too, Mister Potter."

"As do we," said the Queen, as Harry and Sirius sat down, hugging each other. "That was a very hard and very brave thing that you did, Sir Harry, and one that we hope you never have to do again." Turning to Captain Lee, she put on her business face and said, "Captain Lee, this order is off the record, as we believe it technically violates your Code of Conduct, but given the situation we feel it is the the only option. If you wish to object to the order we ask that you do so now."

Captain Lee shook his head. "As long as it's what was just discussed, I have no objections nor do I believe my subordinates will either."

"Very well. Captain Lee, you and your team are hereby ordered to kill the so-called Dark Lord who calls himself Voldemort. Under no circumstances is he to be allowed to escape or to be left alive, even in the unlikely event that he surrenders. This order applies ONLY to the so-called Dark Lord, and not to any of his followers. They are to be allowed to surrender and treated accordingly if they do. Is that clear?"

"Yes Ma'am," said Captain Lee, saluting.

"Good. Governor General Bones, Mister Croaker, thank you for bringing this issue to our attention so that it could be dealt with immediately. Also, we remind everyone that what was discussed here regarding Sir Harry will not leave this room, are we clear?" After getting agreement from everyone, she said, "In that case, we must be getting on with our day. Governor General Bones, please continue with your werewolf plans, we look forward to hearing how they work."

"Yes, Ma'am," said Madam Bones, before they were all led out by the Chief Wizard.

Outside the Queen's study, Sirius grabbed Madam Bones and asked worriedly, "What did the Queen mean by werewolf plans?"

Madam Bones waved off her Auror guards who were about to jump on him, then looked at Sirius and smiled, remembering that his good friend Remus Lupin was also a werewolf. "Relax, Mister Black, your friend Mister Lupin has nothing to worry about. In fact, he might well be interested in joining the pilot program. I'm instituting a test program to grant werewolves more rights and protection from discrimination in exchange for submitting to some method of ensuring they are kept safe and away from people during the full moon. It was just announced in this morning's Prophet, and I intend to work with a small group of werewolves to develop the program and see if we can make it work. If it does, we'll look into expanding it to everyone, but not for a few years in all likelihood."

Sirius considered what she'd said, then nodded. "I'll let him know when I see him, assuming he hasn't heard about it already. I think he'd probably be a good person to ask about how to do that given his experiences at Hogwarts."

"Then I look forward to speaking with him," she said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I really need to get back to the Ministry and the things I already had planned for today."

They said their goodbyes and the Chief Wizard escorted the Ministry personnel back to his office where they could Floo to the Ministry.

"Good luck," said Sirius to Captain Lee, extending a hand.

"Thanks," said Captain Lee shaking it. He then held out a hand for Harry, who shook it reluctantly. "For what it's worth, I think you made the right choice in there, Sir Harry."

"Thanks," mumbled Harry, not sure what else to say.

Captain Lee nodded and excused himself to return to their base, leaving Harry and Sirius to be escorted back to their rooms.


	27. Ready, Aim

_Originally Posted 5/13/16, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 27: Ready, Aim...**

When Captain Lee returned to the MMS base, his first stop was to inform Major French of what had transpired in the meeting with the Queen. After a brief discussion, they agreed to limit the knowledge of Her Majesty's off-the-record order to just the members of the sniper teams, since once the expected shooting started the rest of the assault force would have higher priorities anyway.

After that, Captain Lee called the sniper teams in to brief them on the situation. Once the three teams were gathered in a small briefing room, he cast a privacy ward and began. "Gentlemen, this briefing is off the record. If any of you have any concerns about that, please speak up now."

While not common, everyone present had enough experience to understand what that meant. After a moment, Lieutenant Foot raised a hand and asked, "Is there any risk of collateral damage?"

Captain Lee shook his head. "No more than the original mission. However, Her Majesty's order is controversial at best, and so it must remain unofficial." Getting a nod from the Lieutenant, he continued. "While your existing orders concerning targets taking offensive actions remain the same, Her Majesty has ordered that the so-called Dark Lord be terminated with extreme prejudice. You are to wait until the start of hostilities before doing so if possible, but in the unlikely event that he surrenders, you'll need to find a way to take him out anyway."

The three sniper teams thought for a moment before nodding, with one of the spotters adding, "Good riddance to bad rubbish."

Captain Lee gave a wry grin, silently agreeing. Even without the prophecy he wouldn't have had a problem with the order. Voldemort had proven himself too dangerous, and caused too much damage already, to risk taking him alive. "Thank you, gentlemen, I know I can count on you to both carry out this task and keep it quiet. Once we leave this room, this conversation never happened. Are there any questions?"

This time everyone shook their heads. "Very well, dismissed," said Captain Lee, taking down the privacy ward. As they left, he mentally let out the breath he'd been virtually holding since the briefing started. That prophecy had worried him, but he knew his men would see that Sir Harry's word was carried out. Perhaps he could get Croaker to verify that the prophecy had been fulfilled once the shooting stopped. After a moment's consideration, he decided to send a note to the Governor General requesting Croaker's presence during the assault as an observer.

* * *

When Madam Bones arrived back at the Ministry, she was pleased to see that the Aurors had started searching the building without her, but dismayed at the slow pace they were making. Croaker volunteered several Unspeakables to assist with the search, which she had reluctantly accepted only after getting him to promise that they wouldn't try to confiscate anything they found for the Department of Mysteries.

After checking in with the various groups around the building, she joined the group that was searching the offices of the former Minister and his immediate staff. She had just arrived when she heard someone shout, "Bloody hell!" and ran towards the voice, her escorts shouting after her as they followed.

She arrived at former Undersecretary Umbridge's office at the same time as several other Aurors, all of whom had their wands drawn. Fortunately none of them had pointed them at the Governor General, who quickly took charge of the situation and barked, "Everyone, be quiet! Parker, report!"

Parker, the Auror who had shouted, was standing behind Umbridge's desk holding an open quill case, looking in it with horror on his face. After a second he looked up at Madam Bones and said, "Blood Quills, at least a dozen of them!"

Madam Bones steeled her facial expression before her anger could show. Now was not the time to react, but simply catalog and secure them so they could get through the entire Ministry. Besides, it was unlikely that Umbridge would be punished any worse than she already was going to be for attempting to kill the Queen. "Alright people, show's over," she said, looking at the shocked faces of several Aurors. "As disgusted as I am at finding them in Madam Umbridge's possession, we've still got a job to do. Parker, document and secure them, and I'll add my personal seal to it. Then I'll join you and Jones to keep searching this office until we're sure there's nothing left hiding here. Everyone else get back to work!"

There was a chorus of, "Yes, Ma'am" from the various Aurors before they returned to their tasks. By the time they had cleared Umbridge's office nearly an hour later, they had located three more items that were clearly illegal, plus a couple more that would have to be tested before their exact nature and status could be determined.

After personally seeing all of the confiscated items properly secured as evidence, Madam Bones returned to her office just in time for one of the Crown Wizards to arrive with a note from Captain Lee. After reading his request, she decided that in addition to Croaker, she would send two Aurors to help identify anyone who was captured or killed, since the Death Eaters would most likely be unfamiliar to the soldiers of the MMS. The note had said that someone would be sent to collect Croaker that afternoon, so she figured she could have the Aurors ready and if there was a problem they just wouldn't go.

After writing her request and giving it to the Crown Wizard, she summoned Croaker and two of her more level-headed Aurors, Shacklebolt and Jones. While there was still a part of her that wasn't entirely comfortable with the MMS killing Wizards, she couldn't argue with the long-term effectiveness of permanently taking care of the Death Eaters. Still, there were many in her department who wouldn't be able to remain passive if they were there, which limited her options. Jones was young, and so might be a little unpredictable, but had also shown a penchant for keeping her head. And Shacklebolt was both solid as a rock and serene as a moonlit pool unless angered; as long as he was warned in advance, he'd be able to keep them both under control.

While she waited for them to arrive, she looked over the latest round of questions from the public. Most of them fell into two categories: simple, easy answers, and things that were still undefined and could not be answered yet. There were a few that didn't fit either category, and those were the ones she had chosen to look over personally. Even if she didn't have the entire answer, she needed to know what the public was thinking, and this was a good way to do so.

* * *

Madam Edgecombe sat at a table, staring at the paper in front of her. It was a legal agreement eliminating the death penalty for her in exchange for what was probably a suicide mission. Yes, they would give her a Portkey to escape with, but there was no guarantee it would work before the wards came down, and she might not live long enough after they did to use it. Still, it was a chance, and that was better than she had any reason to hope for twenty-four hours ago.

"So, Madam Edgecombe, do we have a deal?" asked Captain Lee, sitting across from her.

She looked up at the soldier, then picked up the agreement and read it one more time. It galled her that she was having to admit (at least on paper) that what she had done was wrong, but she knew enough about the legal system to know that this was the way things were done. She could still refuse to go along with it, and take her chances that she might be spared anyway, but her solicitor had made it clear that she didn't think she would be that lucky.

Coming to the conclusion that she had very little choice left, she nodded, then picked up the quill and signed it before slumping in her chair. She was doomed without it, and having made the agreement, her life was forfeit if somehow the Dark Lord survived or found out. Still, it would be better to die at the hands of the Dark Lord than those of the Muggles.

"Thank, you," said Captain Lee. "In a few hours, you will be given a letter to take to your so-called Dark Lord. At some point beforehand, you will be Obliviated of your knowledge of this agreement in case he tries to read your mind. You will be given a Portkey that takes you directly back to your cell; just before your departure you will be given instructions on what to do. Failure to follow instructions will result in you being treated just like any other Death Eater who doesn't surrender. Do you understand what that means?"

Madam Edgecombe nodded. "It means I probably wouldn't live to see my daughter again," she said.

"I'm glad we understand each other," replied Captain Lee. "Play by the rules and I'll make sure you see her again if at all possible." Turning to the solicitor, he said, "Miss Evans, thank you again for your assistance. I'll leave you to speak with your client further if you wish, otherwise I'll escort you out."

"Thank you," said the solicitor, Miss Evans. "I would like to discuss a few things with my client before I leave."

"Very well," said Captain Lee as he rose. "Is it alright if the guards remain in here, or do you wish to have privacy?"

Miss Evans shrugged, then looked at Madam Edgecombe who nodded. "I think we'd prefer some privacy, if you could?"

Captain Lee nodded, then turned to the two guards standing near the door. "Vicent, Lloyd, please remain outside the door until Miss Evans calls for you. Madam Edgecombe is to remain here until we're ready for her. I'll have dinner sent when it's ready, as well as making sure someone comes to escort her to the loo. If you need anything, just let me know."

"Sir!" they both said, saluting, then the three of them exited the room. The two guards took up positions on either side of the door, while Captain Lee went to double-check the final preparations for the assault on Voldemort.

* * *

The briefing room at the MMS base was filled to capacity and then some. With the exception of twelve members actively engaged elsewhere, every active member of the MMS was in the room. There were four members who remained behind at the Ministry to provide the appearance of not having left, four keeping an eye on the Riddle house, and four others who were guarding the prisoners and would remain behind to keep an eye on them.

In addition to the members of the MMS, there were half a dozen Crown Wizards present, along with a pair of Ministry Aurors and an Unspeakable. The latter three were here as observers only; they wouldn't be taking part in the operation directly, but were there to help identify the Death Eaters once the Riddle house was secured. The Unspeakable also had another job, verifying that Voldemort was truly gone, but it wouldn't be mentioned publicly. The Crown Wizards were not expected to take part in the anticipated fight, but were tasked with getting the anti-Apparition and anti-Portkey wards up seconds after the existing wards came down, and would help guard the perimeter afterwards.

Major French and Captain Lee stood at the front of the room, where an overhead map of the Riddle house and its surroundings was projected onto a screen for all to see. While individual teams had already been briefed on their specific additional mission goals, this was the final briefing for the entire group to make sure everyone was on the same page. "Our time is short, so let's get to this," said the Major once everyone arrived. "In less than an hour you will all be Portkeying to your staging areas outside of the target's view and then taking your places. We don't know when the so-called Dark Lord will summon his followers, but we need to be ready to hit them shortly after they've arrived. Best estimate as to the numbers is somewhere between twenty and thirty.

"Prisoners are to be taken if possible, but only if it's safe to do so and they surrender unconditionally. They get one chance to give themselves up; after that, any hostile action and I want them taken down. I want everyone coming home again, as does Her Majesty. These terrorists have a history of showing no mercy, so don't take any unnecessary chances. Understood?"

There was a chorus of, "Yes, Sir!" from the assembled soldiers, along with nods from the Crown Wizards and Unspeakable. The Aurors looked uncomfortable, but didn't say anything.

Captain Lee stepped forward and pointed to the house with a laser pointer. "We only have a basic layout of the house, as our sources have only been in a small part of it. What we do know is that our primary target is usually found in the larger room here," he pointed towards the back of the house, on the north side, "which is at the end of the hallway directly opposite the front doors. We will have air assets, call sign Mystery Flight, waiting for our call with a pair of wardbuster LGBs. Laser designation and sniper teams will be here and here," he pointed to a pair of locations just outside the south side of the wards.

"You have large trees for cover, so you should be able to set up the designator without being too obvious. Your targets are low stone walls approximately fifteen yards in front of the house; we want to take the wards down, but not the house itself, since that will make the task of ensuring everyone is accounted for more difficult. Leftenant Flinn, your team will take the western location, your call sign is Lucifer One. Leftenant Whitehouse, your team will take the eastern location, your call sign is Lucifer Two. Get set up, but don't illuminate the targets until instructed. Leftenant Foot, your sniper team will set up on the north side of the house, with the call sign Lucifer Three, even though you won't be designating.

"Once the Death Eaters arrive, we will be sending one of our captured prisoners into the house with a message telling them to exit the house and surrender, or we will be coming in. This will be delivered shortly before Mystery Flight takes down the wards. The prisoner is to be treated the same as any other Death Eater encountered at the target location; if she doesn't surrender she is to be taken down just like any other hostile. As soon as the wards come down, the warding team is to raise the new ones. The wardstones are already in place, in these locations," he used the laser pointer to point out six spots around the house, "and are fully charged so you should just need to trigger the activation rune. Teams 2 and 4 unfortunately do not have any significant cover, so you'll need to wait nearby and get into position as the wardbusters are falling. You'll have additional support when you do so from Alpha and Delta teams just in case, but once the wards are up I want you getting back under cover right away."

The Crown Wizards all nodded in agreement. While they had no objections to helping out with this mission, combat duty wasn't something they had signed up for, unlike the members of the MMS.

"Once the wards are up we give everyone in the house one minute to exit and surrender," continued Captain Lee. "After that, Bravo and Charlie teams will take point on breaching the house, with Alpha and Delta teams providing cover and perimeter control on the south side of the house, supported by Lucifer One and Two. Echo team will provide perimeter control on the north side, along with Lucifer Three. I will have overall command of the mission, call sign Aslan, and will be set up here," he pointed to a spot on the eastern side of the house atop a small hill. "Sergeant Richards, your signal team will set up with me, and will also coordinate with Mystery Flight. Your call sign for this mission is Sergeant Pepper." This drew laughter from most of the assembled soldiers, as well as a couple of the Crown Wizards.

"Auror Shacklebolt, Auror Jones, Unspeakable Croaker, you'll be with me. While I don't expect you to take part in the assault, I would appreciate you providing support for the signal team if necessary. Also, please do not attempt to approach the house until you're given the all-clear, so that there aren't any misunderstandings."

Both Aurors nodded their understanding, while Croaker remained impassive. Captain Lee turned back to the entire assembly. "Assuming things go as we expect, the so-called Dark Lord will summon his followers sometime after dark tonight. It could be as long as early morning, but we don't think he's patient enough to do that. Are there any questions?"

He had been expecting to get at least something from the Aurors, but neither one seemed eager to speak up, and everyone else already knew what was expected of them. "No, very good. I want to reiterate what the Major said about coming home. I want to see each and every one of you here for the debriefing; keep yourselves alive, keep your teammates alive, and take care of business. God save the Queen!"

"God save the Queen!" roared the assembled soldiers, shocking the Aurors and surprising even the Crown Wizards with its intensity, before they all stood and went to complete their final preparations for the operation.

Captain Lee turned to Major French and said, "I hope to god we all come back. Nothing ever goes exactly as planned."

"I know," replied the Major, "and so do I. I need to leave shortly myself; I'll be stationed at the SAS command post on the outskirts of Little Hangleton. If things go pear-shaped, to hell with the Statute of Secrecy, call me and we'll be there in minutes."

"Thanks," said Captain Lee, "let's hope it doesn't come to that."

"Agreed." The Major held out his hand, and Captain Lee shook it. "Good luck, my friend. Listen to your own advice and bring our boys home alive."

"Yes, Sir!" saluted Captain Lee, then left to complete his own preparations, while the Major did the same.

* * *

As the MMS covertly set up outside the Riddle house and hunkered down to wait for things to happen, inside the house Voldemort was getting impatient. He knew the transition was officially not happening until the morning, but after today's Prophet article he was concerned that he might lose the support of the werewolves if the announced trial program to make them an accepted part of society got too much support. He'd nearly summoned his Death Eaters just as soon as he read about it, but realized that once he did he'd be committed to attacking the ministry right away, as he would appear weak if he were to summon them just to rant about the newspaper, of all things. He'd planned on attacking in the early morning anyway, before the Muggles had officially left, just to prove that he was more powerful than they were, but with the announced security sweep having the full contingent of Aurors and the Muggle soldiers inside the Ministry it would be foolish not to wait until at least nightfall.

About two hours later he noticed it was dark, checked the time again, and decided he'd call his supporters a bit earlier than he had originally planned. He summoned Wormtail, and a moment later his cowardly but mostly loyal minion appeared and knelt before him.

"What can I do for you, my Lord?" asked Wormtail.

"Give me your arm, Wormtail. It's time to teach those Muggle-loving fools in the Ministry that Lord Voldemort will not bow down to them, ever."

"Y-yes, m-master," stuttered Wormtail as he stood and held out his left arm, trembling. Voldemort touched his finger to the Dark Mark as he had in the graveyard, and Wormtail gave a howl of pain just like he had back then. Voldemort released him and he stumbled back, the pain overwhelming his sense of balance for a moment.

"Soon, Wormtail," said Voldemort sounding satisfied, "very soon, indeed. We shall take over the Ministry, and should the Muggles interfere we shall deal with them too. Not that they won't feel our wrath eventually, but first we must clean up the Magical world before we can deal with the Muggles properly." He sat back and waited, knowing his summons would be answered shortly.

Ten minutes later his Death Eaters were assembled in front of him, all except for the four who had apparently been captured at the Ministry, and the one whose information he wanted the most. "Where is Severus?" he asked dangerously.

The assembled Death Eaters looked around, and one or two of them began to fidget. "My Lord," one of them began to say, then stopped as Voldemort turned to look at him.

"Speak up already," demanded Voldemort, his wand pointed at the speaker but holding his curse for the time being.

"My Lord," repeated the Death Eater, "I heard he had been captured. Someone saw him taken by Muggle soldiers from the front gates of Hogwarts. I thought you had been told."

"No," intoned Voldemort, "I was not. _Crucio,_ " he said offhandedly, and the Death Eater fell to the floor in agony. He held the spell for a few seconds then released it, not wanting to damage his minion's ability to fight too much, but needing to maintain discipline nonetheless. "The next time one of you hears something like this, you will inform me immediately, even if you think someone else has already done so. Or you will suffer far worse for your failure."

"Y-yes, my L-Lord," gasped the Death Eater as he tried to rise from the floor.

"And when was Severus captured? Do you know?"

Shaking his head the Death Eater said, "A couple days ago, perhaps? I don't know for certain, as I only heard this morning. That's why I thought you knew."

Voldemort frowned. " _Could Severus have already been captured when I first summoned him?_ " he thought. " _Could he have possibly betrayed me?_ " He didn't know what to think, other than that he had a bad feeling all of a sudden. His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of another Death Eater, though this one was not garbed in the traditional robes and mask, and so was easily identified right away. "Madam Edgecombe, how nice of you to join us," he said dangerously. "Now give me one good reason not to kill you where you stand for failing to respond to my previous summons," he said, pointing his wand at her.

"My apologies, my Lord," she said, kneeling before him and kissing his robes. "I was held captive under anti-Apparition wards by both Muggles and Wizards, and was only able to respond because they sent me to deliver this." She held out an envelope without looking up, not wanting to see the death she knew was likely coming for her any second.

She was surprised to feel the envelope taken from her hand instead, before Voldemort replied, "Then we shall see what they say first, and then I will deal with you."

* * *

Ten minutes earlier Madam Edgecombe had been sitting in her cell, waiting for the Dark Lord to summon her. She didn't know how long she had been waiting, as her memory seemed like it was a bit of a blur. She suspected she'd been Obliviated, but when she asked she got no answer at all. All she knew was that the soldiers guarding her wanted to know when she felt the summons from the Dark Mark, and so she sat there, waiting.

Suddenly she hissed and grabbed her arm, before saying, "He's summoning me, now." Normally she would have told them to go to hell, but they had promised to let her go if she delivered a letter to her master, and so she did what they asked, all the while looking for a way to escape when the time came. Even if she died at the hands of her master, it was better than dying at the hands of a Muggle.

One of the soldiers came over to her cell, while the other kept his weapon pointed at her. She knew better than to try and take them on though; while she was happy to participate in Muggle-baiting raids with the Death Eaters, she knew she was no fighter, and two-on-one was odds she was unwilling to risk if she could avoid it. She was taken out of her cell, and into another featureless room where a third soldier was waiting.

"Madam Edgecombe, this is your one and only chance to avoid the gallows," said the soldier who was waiting for her. "We will give you your wand and a letter, which you are to take to your master. If you wish to live, when the time is right simply drop your wand, get down on the ground and say, 'I surrender.' If you do that, you will be taken prisoner and your cooperation will be taken into account at your trial. Do you understand?"

"Yes," she said nodding. Not that she planned on giving up that easily, but at least it was an option she hadn't had before.

He held out her wand and an envelope. "Don't think of trying anything with your wand," he said. "If you do I promise you won't survive to make it to the gallows."

She shook her head and took the offered items. "I don't like the odds, so I'll behave," she said, then looked at the envelope. It was plain and unaddressed, but the intent was clear. "Can I go now?"

The soldier nodded. "You may Apparate out from this room. I suggest you go directly to your master, or he may not be as forgiving as we are."

Madam Edgecombe gulped, not disagreeing in the slightest. Taking her wand she spun on the spot, Apparating to the site of her master's call.

* * *

Voldemort read the letter, not knowing if he should laugh or scream. It was addressed to him personally, and it was clear from the contents that his current location was no longer a secret.

 _15th August, 1995  
2000 hours_

 _To the so-called Dark Lord Voldemort, AKA Tom Riddle,_

 _You, and your followers, have been declared enemy combatants by Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the Magical Kingdom of Great Britain Queen, Defender of the Faith. The house you currently occupy is surrounded by Her Majesty's forces, and you are being given this one opportunity to surrender or you will be subjected to an armed assault. In the next couple of minutes, the wards surrounding the house you currently inhabit will be forcefully brought down. When that happens, you have exactly one minute to exit the house, throw down your wands and surrender. Failure to do so will subject you to potentially lethal force._

 _Any hostile actions taken before the wards come down, or before the grace period expires, will also be met with immediate force. Again, you have one minute from when the wards come down._

 _Her Majesty's Magical Military Force_

The bad feeling intensified, and he wondered for the first time if he had possibly underestimated the Muggles. Realizing that his Death Eaters were waiting on him, he decided it would look better if he laughed, so he did so, a long sinister laugh.

The Death Eaters looked curious and concerned, with several of them asking, "What is it, my Lord?"

After a moment, Voldemort stopped laughing and said, "The Muggles wish for us to surrender. They claim to be able to take down the wards, and if we do not surrender they will attack." Voldemort's face turned hard, then furious, as he crumpled the letter in his hand. "How dare they make demands of me, Lord Voldemort! We shall show them that they made a mistake threatening me and my Death Eaters, one they shall not live to make again!"

All the Death Eaters except Madam Edgecombe cheered, not knowing what was heading their way from above.

* * *

Fifteen thousand feet above Yorkshire Dales National Park, Mystery Flight, a pair of RAF Tornado GR.1s circled, waiting for the call to drop their bombs. While none of the crew members were aware of the special nature of the weapons they carried, they did know that this was a very special, and very black, operation. Special and black enough that when it was over they'd probably never be able to talk about it again while they lived, even to each other. Even so, the pilots were discussing the possible nature of the mission when the radio crackled.

"Mystery Flight, this is Sergeant Pepper. Stand by for target designation," came the voice of their ground controller.

"Mystery One copies," replied the lead pilot.

"Mystery Two copies," parroted his wingman.

A few seconds later, Sergeant Pepper was heard again. "Mystery flight, targets are illuminated from the south. Request as close to simultaneous impact as possible, as timing is critical. Stand by for thirty second release countdown on my mark." There was a brief pause, followed by, "Mark!"

As the bombers lined up for their final runs, the navigators in the back seat acquired the laser designators used by the ground forces and locked the bombs on them.

"Mystery One has lock," came the voice of the lead navigator.

"Mystery Two has lock," echoed the second navigator.

"Sergeant Pepper copies. Weapons free," said the ground controller.

Coordinating their actions, the two navigators released their bombs within a half second of each other, which was as good as they were going to get. "Sergeant Pepper, bombs away. Mystery flight returning to base," the lead pilot radioed as he turned his aircraft towards home.

"Copy that, Mystery flight. Thank you, and good night."

The bombers didn't stick around to see if their bombs hit; they had strict orders to leave the area as soon as they dropped their bombs, and they were following them to the letter. After all, the less they knew, the less they could accidentally reveal later on.

* * *

Outside the wards surrounding the Riddle house, the MMS's earpieces all came to life as Captain Lee broadcast to everyone. "Wardbusters in twenty seconds, keep your heads down. Let's all do our jobs and go home. Aslan out."

Fifteen seconds later the wardbusters hit, and all hell broke loose.


	28. Fire!

_Originally Posted 5/27/16, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 28: Fire!**

Dropped from a height of fifteen thousand feet, the laser guided 2000 pound bombs struck the ground in front of the Riddle house like a proverbial, and literal, ton of bricks. Even without their usual high explosive contents, they plowed into the ground and threw up dirt and debris for nearly a hundred yards, and leaving craters almost ten yards in diameter. The front of the Riddle house was covered in dirt, every window was broken, and the doors were hanging askew on their hinges. But for all the physical results caused by the bombs' impact, the effects on the wards was much more devastating.

Traveling at nearly three hundred meters per second, the wardbusters struck the wards with the force of over a thousand Wizards all casting at the same time. While it's possible they could have survived an attack like that if they had been the best Goblin wards money could buy, these were not, and thus they did not. The wards imploded spectacularly, causing a bright flash that was visible several miles away, along with a massive boom that joined with the bombs' impact and shook the house for several seconds. Major French would later report that it in fact looked and sounded like a lightning strike from where he was stationed with the SAS, but he knew for a fact that the skies in the area were clear when it happened.

Inside the Riddle house, chaos reigned as most of the Death Eaters were thrown off their feet while Voldemort was nearly toppled off of his throne. Seconds later he felt new wards being raised, and the unease he had felt earlier turned into the first inklings of fear he'd felt in a very long time. Anti-Apparition wards were up, and he'd be willing to bet there were anti-Portkey wards up as well, trapping them in the house. He couldn't see them from inside his throne room, but he was pretty sure that the Muggles had indeed surrounded them as they'd said in the letter.

"So," he said, once the shaking stopped and the Death Eaters started to recover. "The Muggles think they can attack us. How pitiful." He rose from his throne and said, "Let us go show them what real Wizards are capable of doing." He hoped his bravado was enough to inspire his forces to fight, while the tightness in the pit of his stomach only got worse. If they were truly trapped, and things were as bad as he worried they might be, he would probably have to sacrifice most if not all of his minions to buy time to escape.

Turning to Madam Edgecombe, he pointed his wand and said, "You will lead us out of the house. If you try to run away, I'll kill you myself. Come my Death Eaters, let us deal with these Muggles and then go take care of the Ministry." Pushing Madam Edgecombe ahead of him, Voldemort strode out of his throne room towards the front of the house, not waiting to see who was following him.

When they reached the front hall, he took note of the poor condition of the doors and stopped. He then turned halfway back towards his followers, noting with satisfaction that they had all joined him, and commanded, "I want their leader taken alive, so that I may question him. Other than that, take no prisoners. Remember, these are Muggles, and you are pure-blooded wizards. There can be only one possible outcome of this fight. Now, kill them all!" He blew the remains of the doors out with a blasting curse and strode forwards, beckoning his troops to follow him.

The Death Eaters cheered, all but Madam Edgecombe, who was unceremoniously shoved out the door at the front of the charging pack. She was pushed to the side by the more swiftly moving people behind her, and was thus saved from the first volley of gunfire that cut down the leading wave of Death Eaters. As she stumbled to the ground, she had a perfect view of Voldemort as he raised his wand, said, "Avada Kedav-," and then his head exploded.

Realizing this was her chance to escape, she threw her wand to the side, lay on the ground and shouted, "I surrender!" This grabbed the attention of several other Death Eaters, but before they could react she disappeared with the telltale sign of a Portkey activation, preventing them from doing anything to her.

Seeing their Lord and master cut down enraged the remaining Death Eaters. They all started sending out their strongest spells, but none more wildly than Thorfinn Rowle. He ran forward towards the nearest advancing group of soldiers, firing spells so rapidly it was nearly impossible to tell where one ended and the next began. It was only a few seconds before he was cut down, but he left a wake of destruction that rallied the surviving Death Eaters briefly before they, too, were taken out by the combined gunfire of the assault teams and their sniper cover.

In the end, the battle took less than two minutes, but for those that survived it was the longest two minutes of their lives. Of the Death Eaters who had answered Voldemort's summons, not including Madam Edgecombe, all but one had been cut down in the fighting. The only survivor, Peter Pettigrew, had cowardly tried to stay back and avoid the fighting, but had gotten tagged by a stray bullet in the leg. When the MMS assault team found him up against the doorway to the house a couple minutes later, he was already showing signs of shock from the blood loss.

"I've got a survivor!" shouted the soldier who found him, calling for one of his medical trained colleagues.

"No!" grunted Peter, his breath short. "Please, don't. Just let me die, it's what I deserve."

The soldier looked at him, confused, as he tried to assess the wound.

"If I live, I'll just hang," gasped Peter, his voice growing hoarse. "This way is better. For everyone."

As the two soldiers tried to stop the bleeding, Peter Pettigrew took his last breath. As the blackness claimed him, his last thought was of astonishment that he didn't feel afraid anymore.

* * *

While things were settling down at the front of the Riddle House, the MMS teams guarding the back of the house remained alert in case anyone had remained in the house and tried to sneak out the back. They had just heard the report of Pettigrew's death from his injuries when Lieutenant Foot, one of the spotters for the sniper team known as Lucifer Three, spotted movement near the base of the house. Calling it out to the rest of his team, all three of them (two spotters and one sniper) focused on the motion.

After a moment, they realized it was a dark green snake, and a rather large one at that. It appeared to be over ten feet long, at least ten inches thick, and certainly didn't look like anything native to the British Isles. After a moment it became clear it was attempting to flee the house stealthily, though for what reason they didn't know. Just in case, Lieutenant Foot decided to call it in.

"Aslan, this is Lucifer Three. We have a very large snake exiting the house and attempting to leave the grounds. It does not appear to be native, but I don't know if it relates to the target subjects or not, although it does seem to be rather cautious."

"Say again, Lucifer Three? You said a large snake?" came the response.

"Affirmative." He took a closer look and added, "Looks like some sort of Viper or other venomous snake, but I've never seen one that big."

"Wait one," came the voice of Captain Lee. Then, after a moment, "Sources indicate it may have been the primary target's pet. Consider it very dangerous and take it out."

"Lucifer Three copies, eliminate the snake. Out." Turning to his sniper, Lieutenant Foot said, "You heard the man, neutralize the snake."

"Roger," said the sniper, who took careful aim and fired. A half second later the snake twitched violently and then lay still.

"Looks like a good shot," said Lieutenant Foot, I'll have Echo team confirm it once the house is secure.

Fifteen minutes later two members of Echo team put two more bullets in the snake from several yards away, just to be sure, but the snake didn't move and a couple minutes later they confirmed it was indeed dead, the last casualty of the battle.

* * *

Major French sat in front of Her Majesty's desk along with Charles Adlington, Sirius Black and Harry Potter early Monday morning, waiting for the Queen to finish reading the summary of the after-action report he had given her. In total, they had lost two men, along with a third who was severely injured and would require several months of recovery even with Magical assistance. Beyond that there had been a large number of minor injuries, but nothing that couldn't be easily healed Magically or even non-Magically.

The Queen looked up from the report, looked at the Major, and said, "Thirty two terrorists and one snake killed at the cost of two of our soldiers dead and one seriously wounded, is that correct?"

Harry gasped at the mention of the two dead soldiers, and Sirius put his arm around him while the Major ignored him and replied, "Yes Ma'am. Plus a number of minor injuries that should be healed within the next few days."

"Tell me, Major, do you consider this to be an acceptable level of losses?"

Harry stared at the Queen in shock at the question, but the Major didn't hesitate to answer. "No, Ma'am, I do not. Even a single loss is more than I wanted, but there are no guarantees on the battlefield. As it was, my men did exactly what they were supposed to do to protect themselves as best they could, but two of them got hit by lucky shots."

" _Or unlucky ones,_ " he thought to himself; the first had been a stray killing curse that made it through from the initial volley after Voldemort was killed, as there had just been too many to block them all. And the second had been tagged in the neck with a cutting curse from Thorfinn Rowle, just as he was taken down. Enraged as he'd been, his victim had nearly been decapitated, and had bled out before they could even try and save him.

The Queen nodded, accepting the Major's unstated apology and acknowledging the realities of war.

At this point Harry couldn't contain himself any longer and started crying softly. "I'm sorry," he sobbed, "I didn't mean for anyone to die..."

Sirius pulled him into a full hug, while both the Queen and Major French looked at him unsure of what to say. After a moment, Harry pulled himself together and looked at the Queen. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, this is all my fault."

Before Harry could say anything more, or Sirius could tell him otherwise, the Queen said, "Nonsense, Sir Harry," as she rose and came around her desk. Bending down in front of him she looked him in the eye and said, "Just how, young man, is any of this your fault? Did you cause the so-called Dark Lord to try to take over the Magical World? Did you cause his followers to not surrender peacefully when given a chance? The only people at fault are the so-called Dark Lord and his followers. It is unfortunate that others died to make sure we were all safe, but they knew the risks going into it and accepted them. Now it is time for you to accept that even if your actions may have set things in motion, you are not responsible for anyone's deaths."

"What about Voldemort?" asked Harry. "I all but told you to kill him."

"No matter what you said, it is I who ultimately gave the order, Sir Harry. If anything, you're responsible for saving lives, by preventing Voldemort and his followers from taking any more than they already have. Do you understand?" The Queen held his gaze sternly, but also with a kindness that indicated her concern for him.

Harry looked at her, trying to reconcile the image of the Queen acting and sounding more like he would have expected out of Professor McGonagall, then nodded. He still didn't like that any of the soldiers died fighting Voldemort, but he could see her point. And now that he thought about it, Voldemort and his Death Eaters being dead probably had saved countless lives, both Magical and otherwise, that they would have destroyed had they been able to pick up their activities.

Sniffling a bit he nodded and said, "I don't like it, Your Majesty, but I understand." Turning to the Major he added, "And for what it's worth I'm sorry for your losses."

Major French nodded, and said, "Thank you, I'll pass that along."

Sirius waited until the Queen had returned to her seat before asking, "So where do we go from here?"

After answering a few more questions from Her Majesty about the operation and its aftermath, Major French was excused and the remaining wizards discussed how to handle delivering the news of Voldemort's death to the Magical World. It was too late to get the story in the morning's paper; even if it was still before breakfast time, the majority of the copies would already have been printed, and people were already getting up for their day. After some discussion Sirius suggested that they simply have Mister Adlington and Governor General Bones give a joint press conference over the Wizarding Wireless Network, which caused the Queen to look puzzled and Mister Adlington to look sheepish.

"I had forgotten that Wizards had developed their own Magical radio," he said, when the Queen had inquired what Sirius was talking about. "Yes, that will do nicely. We can have a formal press release printed in tomorrow's paper, but this will get the message out fairly widely right away. With your permission, Your Majesty, I'll go prepare the press release and then go see Governor General Bones about making this happen."

The Queen nodded, then said, "Before you go, Charles, there is one other item to discuss. Now that the current crisis is over, I would like to speak to Mister Dumbledore as quickly as possible so we can deal with that side of things as well. My schedule is full today and tomorrow, but I believe Wednesday morning is open. I would also like to address the entire staff before speaking further with the Headmaster alone."

"Of course, Ma'am, I'll see to it that everything is prepared. Is eight o'clock too early for you?"

"That would be acceptable, Charles, thank you." After Mister Adlington had left, she put on her "business face" and addressed Harry and Sirius. "Sir Harry, Mister Black, we thank you for putting your lives on hold to assist with this matter. Please enjoy two more days of our hospitality while things settle down. We would like to ensure that there are no immediate problems once the so-called Dark Lord's demise is announced. Additionally, we would like to speak with Mister Dumbledore about your situation before he has a chance to speak to you, and this will ensure that we do so. We hope this won't be too much of an inconvenience."

"No, Your Majesty," they both replied, before Sirius continued. "You have been most kind to accommodate us for so long, and we appreciate your care in dealing with us. Thank you, and we will happily accede to your wishes."

"Well spoken, Mister Black," replied the Queen, letting her face relax. "Tell me, have you ever considered a career in politics?"

Sirius's look could best be described as, "Who, me?" as he shook his head. "No, Ma'am, I haven't. But in any event, I think my career right now is going to revolve around taking care of Harry and doing whatever I need to to formally adopt him. Between that and learning how to live as a free man again, I think I'll have my hands full."

"Hmm," she hummed, then nodded. "I see you're taking my previous caution seriously. Good, you do that. But if you ever change your mind, speak to Mister Adlington's office. I'll make sure you have their contact information before you depart."

"Thank you, Ma'am," said Sirius, not knowing what else to say. He stifled a yawn, noticing that Harry was doing the same only less successfully. "I think, given the time, that perhaps we should go back to bed for a while. Is there anything else we can do for Your Majesty?"

"No, I think we've done everything we can until the press conference and its fallout. Unfortunately, I don't have the luxury of going back to bed, but I appreciate the sentiment." Sirius opened his mouth to say something, but the Queen waved him off. "Go, get some sleep, I won't hold it against you," she said with a tired smile. She pushed a button on her phone to summon a steward, and waited until Harry and Sirius had left before preparing herself for the day ahead.

* * *

Amelia Bones had been annoyed to be awoken shortly before six in the morning by an urgent Floo call, but when she learned why, the annoyance had been replaced by elation. Now, shortly before nine o'clock on a Monday morning, she was about to give the most important press conference of her life. Thinking back on everything that had happened over the past five days, she was amazed at how much had been accomplished in so little time. But perhaps that was just one more thing pointing to how badly Wizarding society had stagnated in Great Britain.

Of course, there would be many who decried the deaths of so many prominent purebloods, but after being briefed on how things had happened, even she could see that the result could be laid squarely on the shoulders of the deceased. Still, the Aurors would be out in force for the next few days, making sure that nobody got any strange ideas about taking their anger out on anyone else.

She looked up as Charles Adlington entered her office, escorted by two soldiers and Aurors Shacklebolt and Jones. "Ready to make the big announcement, Governor General?" he asked.

She had attempted to argue that he should be making the announcement, or perhaps one of the members of the Military, but he had successfully convinced her that more people would take it rationally if the official announcement came from her. He would be there to answer any questions she could not, or that needed further clarification, but the announcement that Voldemort was dead rested entirely on her head.

Standing, she replied, "Not really, Mister Adlington, but there's no time like the present." She allowed the Aurors to lead them out of her office and down to the Atrium, where the press would be gathered along with a broadcast team from the Wizarding Wireless Network News. When they arrived, several members of the press started shouting out questions before she even reached the podium, but she just ignored them and waited until everyone quieted down.

"Members of the press," she began, "citizens of Magical Britain, and everyone who can hear my voice or read about this in the papers, I stand before you to announce that the so-called Dark Lord Voldemort is dead." There was a collective gasp at her mention of Voldemort's name, and she had to wait several seconds for everyone to recover before she could continue, repeating, "Again, Voldemort is dead. He, along with nearly all of his followers who had gathered in preparation for an attack on the Ministry, were killed last night by forces of Her Majesty's Magical Military Squad after refusing to surrender and attacking said forces. While it is possible that there may still be one or two of his followers at large, we believe that between the five people who were taken into custody before the operation, six of his followers who are already serving life sentences in Azkaban, and the thirty two who were killed, including Voldemort, that this consists of everyone currently loyal to him.

"While I do not have the names of all of the people who were killed at this time, we will release them as a whole once we have confirmed all of their identities. I can tell you that every one of those killed in the operation, with the exception of Voldemort himself, had the Dark Mark on their person indicating that they were a dedicated follower of Voldemort and were subject to detention and prosecution by order of the Queen. I can also tell you that in response to a message sent to Voldemort and his forces ordering them to surrender or face hostile action, the entire group responded violently rather than obeying the lawful orders given to them, forcing the Magical Military Squad to respond in kind.

"While we at the Ministry are saddened to hear about the loss of life of any Wizards, given the threat and past actions of Voldemort and his followers, we categorically place all of the blame for that loss of life entirely on those Wizards who chose to fight rather than surrendering to the rightful authorities. I would also like to remind everyone that violent acts in response to this operation will not be tolerated, and will see swift action on the part of the Aurors."

Madam Bones looked around at the press, taking in the shocked looks on many of their faces, before opening up the floor. "Are there any questions?" she asked.

After a moment, Barnabas Cuffe raised a hand and asked, "Governor General, you said that thirty-two Wizards were killed, including V-V-V-You-Know-Who. How many non-Wizards were killed or injured?"

Madam Bones gave him a hard look, trying to determine why he was asking the question, but before she could answer Mister Adlington stepped forward and asked, "If I may, Governor General?" She nodded, and he continued, "For those of you who don't know who I am, I'm Charles Adlington, Chief Wizard to Her Majesty the Queen. The losses sustained by Her Majesty's Magical Military Squad consisted of two deaths, one serious injury, and numerous minor injuries. While those killed were both non-Magical, I am unaware as to whether either of them were what you call Squibs, or if they were entirely non-Magical. The one serious injury was to a Wizard; from what I understand there was significant soft tissue damage, which even the best Magical healers can only do so much with. However, I have been assured he should make a complete recovery given several months of proper treatment."

"Are you trying to tell me," Cuffe asked in disbelief, "that the most dangerous Dark Lord this century and thirty-one of his followers, all very dangerous Wizards themselves, were all killed with only the loss of two lives and one serious injury? How is that possible?"

"Because non-Magical weapons are superior," muttered one of the soldiers under his breath, earning him a glare from Madam Bones.

Mister Adlington ignored the soldier and smiled, and not a very nice smile either. "It's possible because we in the non-Magical world have not been content to let things stay the same for the past two hundred years or more. Had we not cared about collateral damage or being able to identify Voldemort and all of his followers, we could have easily killed them all and destroyed the house they were in without risking any of our forces, and that would have taken but a fraction of the power we could have brought to bear if needed. The non-Magicals may not have the ability to use Magic like we can, but they have come up with many different ways to accomplish things as well or better than we do with Magic. Fortunately for everyone, those methods are not limited to just killing people, even if that was showcased by this operation. I would be happy to find someone in my office to assist you with researching what the non-Magical world is truly capable of accomplishing these days should you wish it; Governor General Bones knows how to contact me should you need to."

Cuffe looked like he wanted to ask more questions, but was also clearly having trouble digesting the answer he'd been given. In the meantime, Rita Skeeter jumped in and asked, "You said that five people were taken into custody before the operation. Who are they, and what's going to happen to them?"

Mister Adlington stepped back and let Madam Bones speak. They had discussed this earlier, and agreed that now was the time to officially announce the names of the Death Eaters in custody. "The Death Eaters in custody," said Madam Bones, "are Martha Edgecombe, Walden Macnair, Lucius Malfoy, Severus Snape, and John Yaxley. The are currently charged with treason and sedition against Her Majesty's rightful government, with the possibility of additional charges being brought once the investigation is complete. However, should they be found guilty, then barring Her Majesty exercising her Royal Prerogative of Mercy, they face death by hanging."

She was interrupted by several gasps, and at least one person shouting, "But they're purebloods!", which left her shaking her head.

"It doesn't matter what their blood status is, they stand accused of committing serious crimes, and will receive trials based on evidence and not bribes. This holds true for each and every member of British Magical society; it is Her Majesty's wish that everyone be treated equally based solely on the merits of their behavior, regardless of their parentage. Being a pureblood will no longer protect you from repercussion should you engage in illegal behavior towards non-Magicals or wizards and witches born to non-Magical parents. Likewise, any illegal behavior against purebloods will not be tolerated either, and will be punished the exact same way. Any law which says otherwise is currently suspended, and will be repealed forthwith once the Wizengamot has been reconstituted properly. Is any of that unclear?"

There was a general murmur of negative responses, and she was pleased to see a nod of approval from Mister Adlington. "Now, are there any more questions regarding the defeat of Voldemort?"

"How can you be certain he's gone for good, given that he's returned once already?" asked one of the other reporters.

"Nobody alive was present when Voldemort was first defeated," answered Madam Bones, "other than a fifteen month-old Harry Potter, and as far as I am aware he doesn't know how Voldemort survived back then either. Therefore, we cannot say for certain what happened that allowed him to return. However, I am assured that his death was witnessed by multiple people, including one of the Ministry Unspeakables, and that there is no indication that he has any way of returning a second time."

At this, the other of the two soldiers who had accompanied Mister Adlington stepped forward and said, "I was there, and nobody whose head explodes like that is anything but dead. Whatever may have happened before, I don't think it happened again."

This caused another pause as the press considered the implications of what the soldier had said, and Madam Bones took advantage of it to wrap things up. "The Ministry will release additional information once we have it, including the names of all of the Death Eaters killed along with Voldemort. Any further questions, either for the Ministry or Mister Adlington's office, can be sent directly to the Governor General's office; depending on the situation you may not get a response directly, but will have your answers published in the regular press releases we have been sending out. Thank you all for your time this morning, and try not to celebrate too hard like we all did fourteen years ago."

With that she turned from the podium and headed back into the Ministry, followed by Mister Adlington, the two soldiers, and her Auror escort.

* * *

Over the course of the day, the people of Magical Britain celebrated to various degrees as they heard about the demise of Voldemort. While some decried the death of his followers, others were more inclined to say, "Good riddance to bad rubbish," and be glad that it was over an done with.

At Grimmauld Place, Molly Weasley was both relieved to hear that Voldemort was defeated, and worried about the fact that so many purebloods had been killed by the Muggle soldiers. Not that she was particularly upset about Death eaters being killed, but the idea of Muggles killing Wizards didn't sit very well with her either. Plus, there was still no sign of Harry , and there was no telling what kind of trouble Sirius Black was getting him into. Still, the ultimate defeat of Voldemort was too momentous of an occasion to not celebrate, so she gave the kids the day off and even let the twins indulge in a few pranks, much to everyone's delight.

* * *

Unlike at Grimmauld Place, the news of the Dark Lord's defeat was not taken well at Malfoy Manor, where several Death Eater families had gathered to support each other. While most were in mourning, fearing the worst given that everyone who had answered the Dark Lord's summons had supposedly perished, the actual residents of the house were in totally different moods. Narcissa Malfoy, the Lady of the house, put on a stoic face in public, playing the part of the grieving wife of a soon to be condemned prisoner and doing her best to comfort her guests who had lost even more.

But privately she was thrilled at the death of the Dark Lord, even if her husband was also caught up in the purge. Her greatest fear, one that seemed to get closer to reality every passing day, was that her son, her only child, Draco, would join the Dark Lord. Whether voluntarily or by force, she knew that he would likely not survive in the Dark Lord's service very long as he'd inherited neither his father's cunning nor her subtlety, and would likely earn the Dark Lord's ire rather quickly. That, she knew, was something that was neither healthy nor promoted a long life expectancy.

Draco, on the other hand, was furious. His entire power base, the few times he'd willingly admitted it to himself, revolved around his father's influence, money and power, and now it was all gone. Even if the Ministry didn't take what was left of the Malfoy fortune away, very few people, if any, would be susceptible to its influence in the immediate future, and he himself held very little power now that his father was incarcerated. With the Dark Lord's return a the beginning of the summer, he'd had hopes that he could eventually gain his own personal power through serving the Dark Lord, but now that hope had been dashed as well.

The only consolation, he thought to himself, was that the majority of his peers were in similar if not worse situations. While he doubted there was much hope, his father was still alive, while theirs were all probably dead. Not that it made much of a difference, considering his father's likely fate, but there was always a chance things would work out better than expected.

He wanted to rage at the filthy Muggles who had brought this upon his family, but he realized he knew next to nothing about them or how they got involved. Then he remembered the original Ministry press release, and how it all apparently started with Potter's trial. That had to be it; it was all Potter's fault. Somehow, someday, Draco was sure he'd find a way to make that scarhead pay for ruining his dreams.


	29. Royal Inspection

_Originally Posted 6/10/16, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 29: Royal Inspection**

Just after eight o'clock Wednesday morning, Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth arrived via Portkey at the gates of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. After she recovered, she found herself once again thinking that Magical transportation left much to be desired. It didn't help that there were three people holding her up, as being unfamiliar with Portkey travel she had naturally lost her balance upon arrival. Once she was settled, she thanked her escorts and looked over the castle in the distance.

To say that Hogwarts was an impressive structure would be a massive understatement. Despite having lived in castles all her life, the Queen felt herself a little envious of the people who got to spend their childhoods here, the structure was that impressive. She was interrupted from her musings by her Chief Wizard, who asked, "Impressive sight, isn't it?"

"Yes, quite," she replied. "I was just thinking how lucky the children who get to be schooled here are to experience something like that." She looked down at the bracelet she was wearing that allowed her to see the castle. "Thank you for the bracelet, Charles. I think I would have been disappointed to have missed this."

"You're welcome, Ma'am, but you couldn't have entered the castle grounds without it. I'm glad to know it's working though."

"Yes, well, let's not keep our hosts waiting, shall we. We have much to discuss before returning home."

"Of course, Your Majesty. Please, let me help you into the carriage for the ride up to the front door."

They rode in silence, the Queen, her Chief Wizard, and a half-dozen members of the MMS, pulled by a carriage drawn by skeletal winged horses. When they reached the front door, they were greeted by two more members of the MMS, who waited until the Queen had disembarked before bowing.

"Your Majesty," said the more senior of the two. "We have done as you requested and not informed the Headmaster of your arrival, though I suspect he knows anyway due to the wards. Most of the professors are in the Great Hall, having breakfast. If you'll follow me?"

"Lead on, Sergeant," said the Queen, following him into the castle itself.

When they reached the Great Hall, two soldiers opened the doors and the Chief Wizard entered first, turning to the assembled professors and announcing the Queen. "Presenting Her Majesty Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the Magical Kingdom of Great Britain Queen, Defender of the Faith."

Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the Second, strode into the Great Hall like she owned it and addressed the Headmaster. "Headmaster Dumbledore, when we last spoke to you we said that there were more pressing issues to deal with before we addressed your failings to our Magical Realm. Those issues have now been dealt with, and now the time has come to deal with you. There will be a time for you to speak in your own defense, but first you will listen. Do we make ourself clear?"

The assembled professors, especially McGonagall and Hagrid stared at her in disbelief. Didn't she know who she was addressing, and where she was standing? McGonagall made to say something but Dumbledore stopped her as he rose to address the Queen. "No, Minerva, I will handle this," he said. Turning back to the Queen he continued, "I understand, Your Majesty. However, I believe it would be best if we were to continue this conversation in a more private setting..."

"In a moment, Headmaster," said the Queen cutting him off. "Before we do so, we wish to address several failings that are specifically related to Hogwarts, which we believe will be beneficial for all of its professors to hear and not just you. Please, be seated until we conclude this part of our discussion."

Dumbledore looked like he wanted to protest, but the look on the Queen's face left no room to do so. He merely nodded and sat, getting a second set of astonished looks from the assembled professors.

"Headmaster, Professors of Hogwarts, we stand before you not with accusations, not with rumors, but with facts. You. Have. Failed. You have failed many, if not all, of the Magical youth of Great Britain, and you have done so for many, many years. When we were a young girl, we became the Crown Princess after our father ascended the throne following the unexpected abdication of his brother. We learned of the Magical world shortly after our father's ascension, both because of the fact that we were next in line to the throne, and because there were a number of Magical children who wrote us to congratulate us or otherwise correspond with a Princess who was around their age."

She tilted her head for a moment, looking towards the professors' table, then smiled. "In fact, now that we think about it, we believe we may have even received at least one letter from one of you. Minerva McGonagall is not a very common name, nor one we are likely to forget." McGonagall's eyes went wide in amazement, and then she blushed slightly as she realized that she'd been publicly outed for writing the now Queen while she was in school.

"In any event," the Queen continued after a moment, "after the war the Magical world withdrew, and direct correspondence ceased even before we ascended the throne, other than the occasional missive sent to us by the Prime Minister regarding a conversation he'd had with his Magical counterpart. But we've kept tabs on things through the Crown Wizards' office, mostly hearing about how those who were not born to Magical parents were ostracized from society once they left school, something that continues to this day.

"And that is why we say you have failed. Fifty years ago, the greatest confrontation in human history came to an end, and with it the idea of racial purity was dealt a fatal blow. Granted, it is an ongoing process that continues even now, and with varying degrees of success, but we are trying to improve things for everyone wherever we can, regardless of the circumstances of their birth. You, on the other hand, have done nothing to end the bigotry aimed at denigrating and pushing out those who were born to non-Magical parents. Absolutely nothing."

Dumbledore made to say something, but the Queen ignored him and kept going. "From what we have learned, Hogwarts is separated into four houses, each of which instill and reinforce their own core set of values into their members. These houses are supposed to represent the innate strengths of their members, with children being placed into the house that will best foster those strengths and help them reach their potential. Yet one of these houses is nearly, if not completely, closed to not only those who were born to non-Magical parents, but even most of those who were born to only one Magical parent as well! And this house, which implicitly if not explicitly excludes those born of non-Magical parents, also looks down upon them and works to ensure that their opportunities post-Hogwarts are limited as much as possible.

"Tell us, Headmaster Dumbledore, are we wrong? We would very much like to hear your answer to that."

Dumbledore opened his mouth to respond, only to shut it yet again, this time of his own volition. He had no response, at least none that would answer the question based on what she had said. He had tried to ensure that the Muggleborn were given equal opportunities while in Hogwarts, and to stem the worst of the bigotry in the school, but the problems persisted. Finally, he answered the only way he could, saying, "No, Your Majesty, I cannot disagree with your statements. Perhaps some of the details, but unfortunately not the conclusions."

The Queen held his gaze for a moment, before slowly looking at all of the Professors in attendance. None of them looked happy, though some looked more thoughtful than others. "Do you want to know why you have failed, Headmaster?" Getting a weak nod, she continued, "It is because you failed to address the cause. While we are sure you've tried to address at least some of the symptoms of the problem, you can't cure a disease by just treating the symptoms. That changes today, right now in fact. Tell us, Headmaster, how many other teachers and staff members are missing from breakfast today?" She nodded at the two empty seats on one side of the table.

Dumbledore glanced at where she was looking, then answered, "Professor Trelawney, the Divination teacher, rarely dines with us, and I have not yet found a replacement for Professor Snape, who taught Potions. Also, Professor Binns, who is a ghost, does not leave his classroom. Other than that, Madam Pomfrey, the school nurse, is on vacation, as is Mister Filch, the caretaker."

"So," said the Queen, "If we are counting correctly, you have a total of fifteen adult wizards and one ghost in charge of several hundred Magical children, living here without any direct parental supervision for nearly ten months out of the year. Is that correct?"

Dumbledore didn't like where this was heading, but he had to try and defend the way things had been done. "Actually, Your Majesty, there are quite a number of ghosts in the castle, as well as all of the portraits that hang on the walls. They do their best to keep an eye out for trouble, and inform myself or one of the other Professors in the event of a problem."

"And can ghosts and portraits do anything other than report that there's trouble?"

Dumbledore shook his head, knowing he had lost this round.

"No wonder you've not been able to do anything. We are astonished that you manage to maintain any level of control over the students, having to watch them with so little help! That is something that will have to change, and soon." The Queen surveyed the Professors again, before adding. "While we do not expect that things will be able to be changed in time for this school year, we can assure you that this will be the last year that any of you teach under the current structure. Whether or not you remain here teaching at all will depend on your willingness to work with those appointed to reform the system into something that meets both the needs of Magical Britain and the requirements of the Department of Education."

"But, Your Majesty, Hogwarts doesn't have the funding to increase its teaching staff!" exclaimed Dumbledore.

"The British Ministry of Magic is not what you have dealt with before. Educating our Magical youth properly," she said, emphasizing the word 'properly', "is one of its most important responsibilities. While we insist that the laws be changed to ensure equal opportunity to all of our Magical subjects, it is only by changing the attitudes of our Magical children that the attitudes of the society as a whole will be changed. Thus it is here that those changes must begin, and so it is here that we will have to invest in the future we wish to achieve."

The Queen was pleased to see that at least a couple of the Professors, including McGonagall, were nodding at this last part. "Now, Headmaster, we believe we have much more to discuss that does not involve Hogwarts or the rest of the Professors. Let us find a quiet room to continue this discussion ourselves and let everyone else get on with their day."

At least one of the Professors looked a little disappointed that the rest of the conversation would be private, but nobody said anything as Dumbledore rose and excused himself, leading them out of the Great Hall and towards his office.

* * *

Turning a corner as they neared the Headmaster's office, the Queen stopped short as two ghosts floated across the hall chatting with each other. While she had been informed of the likelihood of encountering ghosts in Hogwarts, it was still a disconcerting experience to say the least. This was made even more so when the ghosts stopped and turned to look at the new arrivals, then immediately bent one knee and bowed to the Queen.

"Your Majesty, welcome to Hogwarts," said one of the ghosts, a tall gentleman in a great ruffed shirt. "You honor us with your presence."

After a second the Queen recovered her aplomb, and replied, "Thank you, good sir. Unfortunately, we have much to do and must be on our way."

"Of course, Your Majesty," replied the ghost, bowing again, before he and his companion 'stood' and floated the rest of the way across the hall and through the wall.

The Queen took a few seconds to collect herself, then turned to Dumbledore who looked slightly pensive. "Let us continue on, Headmaster. While I do not believe my health will suffer any for that encounter, I believe it would be best to avoid any more for now."

Dumbledore couldn't help but give a small smile, then nodded and led them on to his office. He wasn't sure whether it was a good thing or a bad thing, but he knew that all the ghosts would know about Her Majesty's presence very quickly, and at least some of them would likely wish to see her for themselves. Mostly he worried about Peeves, and what that troublemaker was likely to do to a Muggle in the castle, Queen or not.

When they reached his office, Dumbledore conjured comfortable chairs for the Queen and her Chief Wizard before taking his own behind his desk. As he sat, he couldn't shake the feeling that despite being the one sitting behind the desk, he was the one who was getting called on the carpet, as it were.

"Mister Dumbledore," the Queen said, reinforcing his feeling, "as we said before, the more pressing issues from earlier have been dealt with. Namely, as you may have already heard, the so-called Dark Lord Voldemort is dead, along with his followers."

Dumbledore shook his head, sadly. "I was very dismayed to hear about the loss of so many Wizards' lives, Your Majesty. I'm sure that at least some of them would have changed their ways if only they were given another chance."

"You are being naive, Mister Dumbledore, and that's being generous," retorted the Queen. "Before the assault began, they were hand delivered a message giving them an opportunity to surrender. In response, each and every one of those wizards who were killed chose to attack the soldiers rather than doing so. Had they surrendered instead, they would have been treated reasonably and received fair trials after being thoroughly investigated. Regardless of their reasons for not surrendering, they made the choice to not follow directions, and thus it is on their head that the consequences of those actions rest. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, I understand. But I'm afraid that this may not be the last we see of Voldemort. He was said to have been defeated once before, and yet he returned."

"Oh, he's not coming back," said one of the soldiers, laughing. "Nobody survives a head-shot like that!"

"That's enough, Sergeant," said the Queen reproachfully. Turning back to Dumbledore, she continued, "But he is essentially correct. Unless there's something you haven't told us that would allow him to do it again."

Dumbledore fidgeted in his seat, causing the Queen's countenance to grow stormy. "Mister Dumbledore, you will tell us what you know RIGHT NOW, or we shall have you arrested for treason and treated the same as the criminals who were arrested at the Ministry. Speak!"

Dumbledore looked shocked, but hesitated to answer. Seeing his reluctance to cooperate, the Queen turned to the soldier who had spoken earlier. "Sergeant, please take Mister Dumbledore into custody and take him to your holding facility. We want him interrogated thoroughly until you know everything he is unwilling to tell us."

Dumbledore blanched and quickly said, "That won't be necessary, Your Majesty, I'll tell you what you want to know." The Queen held up a hand to the soldier, stopping his advance, then motioned to Dumbledore to continue. "Fifteen years ago," he said, "a prophecy was made foretelling the birth of the one who would defeat Voldemort. I believe that Harry Potter is the boy whose birth was prophesied, and more importantly that he is the only one who can defeat Voldemort."

The Queen glared at Dumbledore and said, "Yes, we know." At Dumbledore's shocked look, she continued, "We learned about it Sunday morning, including the fact that it was originally made to you. Tell us, why are you only telling us about this now? And more importantly, why did you not do anything to prepare the boy for the task you believed his future to hold? We have heard the prophecy already, but please tell us what you remember it to be."

Dumbledore sighed, then closed his eyes, remembering. After a moment, he opened them again, staring off into space, and began to recite. _"_ _The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. … Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies … and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will know power the Dark Lord knows not … and either must die at the word of the other for neither can live while the other survives. … The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies. …"_

Dumbledore sagged in his chair and looked at the Queen, who simply nodded. "That's the whole thing. Harry Potter was one of two boys born at the end of July, a couple months after the prophecy was made, to parents who had survived encounters with Voldemort three times. When Voldemort tried to kill him as a small child, he marked Harry with the scar on his forehead, marking him as the true child of the prophecy. So you see, Harry must face Voldemort himself."

The Queen's expression darkened further and she leaned in towards Dumbledore, who unconsciously leaned back away from her. "And how, pray tell, was he supposed to defeat this so-called Dark Lord if he never received any training or preparation. Or, perhaps, were you attempting to ensure that Voldemort killed him this time, and that someone else, perhaps yourself, would then be able to defeat Voldemort once Sir Harry was dead?" The last part was said in a dangerous tone that made even the members of the MMS cringe.

Dumbledore paled at the Queen's implication, realizing his actions could be interpreted that way, and quickly raised his hands and shook his head. "No, no! That was never my intention! I just wanted him to have a normal childhood before having so many responsibilities dumped on him! Yes, I considered the possibility that if Harry failed that someone else might be able to defeat Voldemort afterwards, but I always hoped Harry would emerge victorious!"

Between his immediate reaction, and the look of genuine horror on his face, the Queen was inclined to believe him, but she still pressed on. "We fail to understand how you could believe that he had a happy childhood, since from what little we have learned directly from Sir Harry, as well as from a cursory investigation, he was never welcomed in the home you placed him in. On top of that, it's clear that he has had the weight of the Magical world placed on his shoulders several times while here at school, something you must have known about. After all those things, claiming to want him to have a normal childhood sounds like a pile of rubbish to us. But that is a different matter, one we intend to discuss today as well, but not until we deal with other things. So what is the real reason you've refused to train Sir Harry for his eventual confrontation?"

Dumbledore looked as though he wanted to deflate even more, but given his current posture he really had nowhere to go. "I don't know for certain..." he began, but the Queen cut him off.

"We do not care about certainties, Mister Dumbledore, we care about your reasons. If you have speculation, you may certainly label them as such, but you will tell us them right now!"

"Yes, Your Majesty," said Dumbledore quietly. "I am not completely certain of this, but I have a strong suspicion as to the method he used to survive based on the events that happened at the end of Harry's second year. I believe that Voldemort split his soul, probably multiple times, and stored the pieces in vessels called Horcruxes. One of these vessels, a diary, was used during Harry's second year to possess a first year student and nearly resulted in Voldemort's rebirth at that time. Fortunately, Harry was able to destroy it, and with it the part of Voldemort's soul that it contained. The reason I believe he has made more than one is that had he only made the single one, he should have passed on immediately once it was destroyed, yet he did not."

The Queen looked to her Chief Wizard and said, "Charles, as soon as we leave Hogwarts I want you to find out everything possible about these Horcruxes and determine if Mister Dumbledore is correct. I also want you to find Mister Croaker and get his opinion on Mister Dumbledore's theory right away. Since he was present during the operation, he may also be able to either confirm or deny whether there is any possibility that this is true."

"Yes, Ma'am," said the Chief Wizard, making a few notes. He then looked at Dumbledore and asked, "What can you tell me about Horcruxes, Headmaster?"

Dumbledore looked uncomfortable, but only hesitated for a second before the Queen's glare prompted him to speak. He spent the next ten minutes explaining about Horcruxes, and why he thought Voldemort had created them. When he finished, the Chief Wizard asked, "Do you still have the diary? I'd like to have Croaker and possibly a few other people look it over for clues if possible."

Dumbledore nodded, replying, "I do. I'll have to retrieve it from where I keep it safe, but I'll do so before you leave."

The Queen's expression relaxed a little, and she gave Dumbledore a brief smile. "Thank you, Mister Dumbledore, we appreciate you cooperating with us. Now, while we understand that the question of these Horcruxes is yet to be decided, you should be happy to learn that barring new evidence Mister Croaker is convinced that Voldemort is dead, for several reasons. First of all, having heard the prophecy, Sir Harry took the difficult step of explicitly asking us to ensure that the so-called Dark Lord Voldemort was killed during the operation to neutralize him and his followers. According to Mister Croaker, and our own Chief Wizard agrees, that certainly qualifies as 'at the word of the other.' Also, while present during the battle between the MMS and Voldemort, Mister Croaker saw no evidence that a spirit departed the body when he was killed, something Sir Harry mentioned happening previously. And finally, after the battle was over and everything else settled, Mister Croaker checked the prophecy sphere he had shown us and said that it no longer appears to be active."

Dumbledore did a double take at that last revelation, and once again slumped in his chair. "The prophecy has been fulfilled? But I was certain..."

The Queen smiled, as Dumbledore trailed off, his train of thought finally derailed completely. "So you see, Mister Dumbledore, while Harry Potter may not have been the one to strike the final blow that ended the life of the so-called Dark Lord Voldemort, the chain of events that led to that blow were all started by his own words. Regardless of how you believed the prophecy was to be fulfilled, it _has_ been fulfilled."

"But what about the power the Dark Lord knows not?" asked Dumbledore. "I was certain it was Harry's ability to love that was going to bring about Voldemort's downfall!"

The Queen stared at Dumbledore incredulously, then started to laugh. It grew into a full belly laugh for a moment before she pulled herself together and saw him staring back at her in confusion. "We're not sure where you got that ridiculous idea Headmaster, or perhaps which drugs influenced it, but we assure you that while wars may have been started by the power of love, they have never been ended by it."

"But," said Dumbledore, spluttering. "But, what else could that power be? Despite their similar backgrounds, the one major difference between Harry and Voldemort is his ability to love!"

"Mister Dumbledore," she replied sounding like a grandmother humoring her grandchild, "you seem to have fallen into the trap of forgetting that there are different kinds of power. You wizards may work with all sorts of different things that we non-Magicals do not, but that doesn't mean we don't have power. Or, as in our case, are considered a power unto ourself. And we can assure you that while Voldemort may have known of us, based on his activities he did not recognize us as holding any real power, a mistake he is no longer capable of making again."

Dumbledore thought about everything the Queen had said, and what the text of the prophecy said, and reached the inescapable conclusion that Her Majesty was right. It had happened in a manner that was totally unexpected, even inconceivable prior to a few days ago, and so he had never really considered any alternatives. Now, once again, the Muggle Queen was telling him that his thinking had been wrong, and this time he had to admit she made a very strong argument. How was it possible that he, Albus Dumbledore, had been so wrong? As the realization came to him, he slumped and gave a big sigh. "I'm sorry Your Majesty, but that's quite a revelation. I think, perhaps, that a shock of this magnitude calls for a drink. Would you care for something?"

The Queen considered her answer for a moment. Not that she would have had one herself, but given what she'd laid on him, and what she intended to hit him with next, she decided that letting him have one might work to her favor. "No thank you, Headmaster, but please, help yourself," she said.

Dumbledore nodded and got himself a shot of firewhisky, which he downed in one gulp. After the burning in his throat settled, he sat back down and looked at the Queen. "I don't suppose that 's everything you wish to discuss with me, Your Majesty," he said, sounding somewhat deflated.

The Queen gave a predatory smile and shook her head. "Hardly, Mister Dumbledore, we're afraid we've barely scratched the surface. You see, while we haven't had any direct dealings with the Magical world prior to this past week, we've heard much about it through Charles, here, and what he's gotten from all of the Wizards he's dealt with. And if our interpretation of what we've heard is correct, your so-called leadership of the Magical world has been primarily to sit on your behind and do nothing."

"I beg to differ, Your Majesty," interrupted Dumbledore, before the Queen held up a hand and stopped him.

"Shall we give you a list?" she asked rhetorically, before doing just that. "As we stated before in the Great Hall, you've been Headmaster for forty years, and Chief Warlock for nearly the same amount of time, and yet you've done nothing to fight for what you claim to stand for. We've already mentioned you not trying to change the attitudes of the children you teach, but you've also done nothing to change the laws regarding how they are treated. Tell us, Headmaster, just what happens to those born to non-Magical parents once they leave Hogwarts? Where do they live, work, and so forth?"

Dumbledore made to answer, then stopped. He thought for a minute and realized that while he'd seen a few Muggleborn graduates over the years, for the most part he only heard from them again if their children came to Hogwarts. "I... I can't say that I know, Your Majesty. I don't recall seeing many of them once they leave after seventh year."

"And do you know why?" she asked. Giving him a moment to answer, she continued when he didn't, "Well we do. Or more specifically, Charles and his staff do, and they related it to me." Turning to her Chief Wizard, she said, "Charles, if you would please enlighten the Headmaster?"

"Ma'am," he said, nodding to the Queen before turning to Dumbledore. "While our records only go back about fifty years, I can say with certainty that at least eighty percent of all Hogwarts graduates with two non-Magical parents leave Magical Britain within two years of graduating. Some of them get tutored before going to University, while others find jobs that don't require formal education, including a number of them entering Her Majesty's armed forces. We suspect that number to be in excess of ninety percent, as we know of at least a few wizards and witches who have left Britain altogether, but because of our enforced separation until recently we have not been able to ascertain exact numbers, and in any case the trends are statistically strong enough that we don't need to refine them. However, while we have only circumstantial evidence to support it, we believe that everyone who graduates from Hogwarts without at least one Magical parent leaves the Magical world within five years unless they get married to someone who does have a Magical parent."

Dumbledore was stunned. While he knew that many Muggleborn preferred to go back to the Muggle world, he had no idea that it was essentially all of them. "But," he stammered, "but why would they do that?"

The Chief Wizard started to answer, but the Queen held up a hand. "The answer to that should be obvious to you, Headmaster, given all the positions you held until recently. Tell us, how many members of the Wizengamot have been born to non-Magical parents? How many high level Ministry employees? How many Hogwarts professors?"

Dumbledore blinked, then thought about it for a moment. Eventually he came to the conclusion that the answer was the same for all three questions: none. He could not think of a single Muggleborn to ever hold any of those positions. Shaking his head slowly, he answered, "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but I can't think of any."

"Because there haven't been any for hundreds of years, at least not in the Wizengamot or the Ministry. While we cannot speak for certain about Hogwarts, we asked our Chief Wizard to investigate the first two and what we found was rather disturbing. Did you know, former Chief Warlock, that since the founding of the Ministry there have only been two members of the Wizengamot who were born to even one non-Magical parent? And that they were already sitting on the Wizengamot when the Ministry was founded and could not be removed? Since then, only those with two Magical parents, and mostly those with all Magical grandparents, have been chosen to serve on the Wizengamot.

"But even worse is the employment policy of the Ministry; while apparently not written down anywhere, the de facto policy for advancement is that no 'Muggleborn'," the Queen emphasized her distaste at the term, "shall be promoted if there's a 'half-blood' available to do the job, and no 'half-blood' shall be promoted if there's a 'pure-blood' to do the job. It doesn't matter who is the most qualified or has the most seniority, only those deemed as being 'pure-bloods' will ever rise to the top of the ministry. While we admit we can understand how that policy may have been socially acceptable when the Ministry was first founded three hundred years ago, even we accept that times have changed such that this is not longer so." She motioned to the Chief Wizard, who picked up the discussion.

Mister Adlington nodded, then said, "Even if the policy was occasionally overlooked by certain department heads, it still meant that those born to non-Magical parents could never rise beyond entry-level positions with the Ministry, let alone be in a position to make significant policy changes. When I spoke to Governor General Bones, she admitted that while she tried to promote people based on their competence and not their blood status, she would occasionally have to do otherwise to avoid starting a political fight she felt she could not win.

"Outside of the Ministry, we found it wasn't much better. While entry level shop positions were available, most of the shops that would hire those with non-Magical parents admitted to feeling pressure to favor those with Magical parentage over those without. Many of them told of encouraging their employees to move on when a 'half-blood' or especially a 'pure-blood' expressed an interest in working for them, and some would let them go outright. The only place we found that seemed a bit more accepting of those born to non-Magical parents were the Quidditch teams, but even they acknowledged that very few managed careers longer than a few years due to the pressures they faced. Also, the longer they stayed in the Magical world the harder their transition back to the non-Magical one became, leading many to retire earlier than usual in order to make the rest of their lives easier."

Dumbledore was speechless. He truly had no idea that things were so heavily arrayed against those without Magical blood.

"So tell me, Headmaster," asked the Queen, "what would you do if you were newly graduated and found that most of your opportunities existed only so long as someone whose parentage was 'better' than yours didn't want your job?"

Dumbledore reached for the firewhisky again, but stopped before he actually picked up the bottle. As much as he wished he could ignore what the Queen was telling him, now was not the time. Pulling his hand back, he said, "I had no idea, Your Majesty," then raised a hand to prevent her from chastising him yet again before he finished. "I had no idea," he repeated, "but I should have. I should have seen all of the things you've said, and I have no excuse for not doing so. At best I can plead the mistakes of an old man, but that would be less than completely honest, as these things have been going on since I was young."

The Queen looked at Dumbledore trying to read him, and to her surprise saw nothing but an old man who was worried that she might be right. As gratified as she was to see that she was starting to get through to him, there was much more to discuss, and things would only get more unpleasant as they went.


	30. Return to Grimmauld Place

_Originally Posted 6/24/16, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 30: Return to Grimmauld Place**

The Sirius Black who stepped out of the Floo at 12 Grimmauld Place was not the same as the one who had snuck out the door nearly a week ago. Before, he had been a wanted man, reluctantly hiding in his old family home and even then not really accepting that it was now his. Now he was a free man, publicly exonerated and no longer trapped behind the wards that hid his house from the world. Additionally, now that he had a reason to do so, he had accepted that he truly was the Head of the The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, and it was time to start acting like it.

He had come through the Floo as quietly as possible, so as to not alert the inhabitants of the house that he was here, if possible. Luck was in his favor as nobody was in the parlor, though he could hear people moving around upstairs. " _Probably doing more cleaning,_ " he thought to himself, " _not that they should have to._ " He collected himself for a moment, then nodded to himself before saying, quietly, "Kreacher!"

The old house-elf popped before him and grumbled, "What does Master want with Kreacher?"

Sirius put on a stern face and said, "Look at me Kreacher, and tell me what you see."

The house-elf glanced at Sirius before saying, "I see Mistress's disappointment of a son..."

"Silence!" snapped Sirius quietly. " _Look_ at me," he said again, emphasizing the first word, "and tell me what you see."

This time Kreacher looked up at Sirius and stared at him hard for a moment, before his eyes went wide and he stood a little straighter. "Master has returned to the House of Black," he said, his voice showing a touch of awe. "What can Kreacher do for Master Black?"

Sirius nodded, then said, "I have come to reclaim the House of Black, but first you must understand that things are going to be different than before. There will be no more talk of blood traitors, Mudbloods, or anything like that. The House of Black is a proud House, and will not go around insulting people unless _I_ say they deserve it. Do you understand?"

Kreacher didn't look entirely happy, but nodded anyway. "Kreacher understands, no insulting people unless given permission."

Sirius smiled. "Good. Now, I want you to go pack up all of the belongings of Mister and Missus Weasley, as well as their two youngest children, then bring their trunks down here." He held up a hand as Kreacher started to move, causing the house-elf to stop. "You are to pack their things carefully and appropriately so that nothing is damaged or otherwise disturbed. Also, you are not to touch anything belonging to Miss Granger or the twins, as they are welcome to stay for the time being. Once you have finished packing their things, start cleaning the house properly the way it should be."

Kreacher nodded, then popped away. Sirius regretted having to have Kreacher pack Ron and Ginny's things, but as they were underage he had no way of preventing Molly from taking them with her when she left, and he had no intention of letting her stay here any longer than today. If he had thought they could get along in the same house with him being in charge he might have considered it, but Molly Weasley had never met a house she didn't think was hers.

Having started the process of reclaiming his house, he moved on to the next phase, one that was sure to get everyone's attention. But before he did so he pulled out his wand and cast a couple of spells first, not wanting to ruin the next surprise too soon. He then walked out of the parlor and up the stairs to the landing where his mother's portrait hung behind a heavy curtain. Steeling himself for the confrontation ahead, he reached for the curtain and pulled it aside in a single, sharp motion.

"YOU!" shouted the portrait, "Shame of my flesh! What do..." she started before being cut off by Sirius.

"SILENCE!" he bellowed, and for the first time in his memory she was silent, with a shocked look on her face and her mouth open in mid-rant. Taking a moment to savor the look on his mother's face, he continued in a quiet voice, "I am Sirius Orion Black, Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, and you will treat me as such. For starters, you will not raise your voice above this level again unless you are calling for someone's attention in another part of the house, am I clear?"

His mother nodded, still apparently unable to speak, and in the silence he heard the sounds of people coming down to see what was happening. "Now, there will be changes around here now that I am the Head of the House. For starters, you are to remain silent and in your frame for the next twenty-four hours, listening and learning. After that, you and I will have a discussion of your future behavior, as well as whether or not you will be permitted to remain here on the stairs or will be relocated into a dark room facing a wall, sealed into your frame forever. I suggest you think about which outcome you prefer and how to make it happen."

His mother's portrait stared at him, wondering where this version of her son had come from. Ironically, Missus Weasley was standing at the top of the stairway mirroring the look, her children and Hermione standing behind her with various expressions on their faces.

Sirius turned to regard them, but before he could say anything Missus Weasley recovered and started in on him. "Sirius Black, you've got a lot of nerve showing your face here. Where's Harry? And just what did you think you were doing helping him run off? Do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused? Why I ought to..."

Sirius was about to interrupt her when Kreacher appeared, gave Missus Weasley an indignant look, then turned to Sirius looking somewhat pleased. "Kreacher has done what Master Black has asked," he said, raising his voice to ensure he was heard by everyone. "The Weasleys' trunks are in the parlor."

Sirius nodded and said, "Thank you Kreacher."

Kreacher nodded and popped away, as Missus Weasley's rant came to a halt as she realized what had been said. Her confused look turned stern and she started in on Sirius again. "What do you mean our trunks are in the parlor. Sirius Black, just what do you think you're doing?"

Sirius just looked at her for a moment, letting her stew. He was just about to say something when she lost her patience and shouted, "Answer me, why are you throwing us out of our house?"

Sirius raised an eyebrow and said in a dangerous tone, "Your house? This has never been, and will never be your house. This is _my_ house. You were permitted to stay here because of the threat posed by Voldemort, but that is no longer a problem. You don't have to leave right this minute, but I expect you to be gone after dinner tonight."

Missus Weasley stared at him in disbelief, before turning to her children and saying, "Well, it's clear that we're not wanted here. Come along children, we're leaving now." Turning back to Sirius, she added, "After all the work I did to clean this house, I'd think you'd be a little more grateful we were staying here."

As she started down the stairs, Sirius held up a hand and stopped her. "Fred, George, as you're of age already you're welcome to stay for a couple of days if you like. You too, Hermione; I'll be happy to clear it with your parents once we've sorted things out here." He then looked apologetically at Ron and Ginny, saying, "I'd be happy to let you stay as well, but since you're underage I can't prevent your mother from insisting on taking you elsewhere. However," he looked at Missus Weasley before adding, "I hope you can stay through dinner. Harry should be here shortly, and I know he really wants to see all of you before you go."

Missus Weasley looked like she wanted to tear into Sirius again when he started inviting people to stay, but held her tongue when she heard Harry was coming back too. Finally, she asked in a somewhat restrained voice, "Why are you doing this, Sirius?"

Sirius looked at Missus Weasley thoughtfully before answering. "For two reasons, Molly. First, this is my house, and as the Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black I need to lay claim to it. If I thought I could do that with you still being here, I'd let you stay. Unfortunately, I don't think that's possible; you will lay claim to whatever house you are living in whether it's yours or not. Frankly, the rest of your family would otherwise be welcome to stay, but I don't expect them to make you leave by yourself."

Missus Weasley scowled at him, and he continued before she could open her mouth and interrupt.

"The second reason is that as much as Harry wants to see you all, he also needs to be able to have time without being crowded or having to explain himself. And as good intentioned as you all are, there's too many people in the house right now for that to happen. I'm not the only one who's changed since we left here last week; it's going to take some time for you all to adjust, but I do know he doesn't want to lose your friendship."

Missus Weasley looked like she didn't know what to say, but Hermione certainly did. "What do you mean he's changed?"

Sirius smiled wanly and said, "He grew up. I know he's always been a bit more mature than most boys his age, well, at least sometimes, but it's more than that now. A few things have happened that you may not have heard yet. First of all, he's not just Harry anymore, he's Sir Harry James Potter, Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order." Hermione's hand went to her mouth, which hung open loosely in surprise. "Also, while I know he's had a lot of things piled on him over the years, and may not have always handled it well, that's no longer the case. When it came time to deal with Fudge the Queen gave him the responsibility for deciding whether or not to revoke the Wizarding Charter; when she did so, he could have reacted like the boy of fifteen he is and thrown a tantrum or moped or done any number of other things, but he didn't. He considered it carefully, then accepted the responsibility like a man before carrying out his duties without letting his emotions get in the way.

"I've never been prouder of him than when he realized that there was no other way to get things done, then did what he had to do with his head held high. And then, after the dust had settled, he picked himself up and did what he could to help both Madam Bones and Percy get the chances they've been given. He may have walked into the Wizengamot chamber as a boy, but he walked out a man."

Missus Weasley looked torn between being indignant at Sirius's claim that a fifteen year-old Harry could be a man and pride in what he'd done, even if she didn't fully agree with how he'd gone about it. The twins were nodding sagely, their heads bobbing up and down in alternate rhythms, which put the lie to the seriousness on their faces. And the other three looked thoughtful, trying to figure out what this would mean to their relationships with him.

Strangely, it was Ron who broke the silence by calmly saying, "Well, I guess the only thing to do is talk to him when he gets here and figure out what's what." Seeing the confused looks from the rest of his family members and Hermione, he said, "What? If Harry can grow up a lot, why can't I grow up a little?"

This broke the tension, causing Sirius and the twins to laugh heartily, and drawing a few giggles from Ginny and Hermione. Even Missus Weasley had to grin at that one, knowing how much she'd wished her youngest son would grow up someday soon.

Eventually everyone calmed down and Missus Weasley turned back to Sirius. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again, and after another moment gave a big sigh. "I suppose you do have a point about this being your house, Sirius, though I wish you'd just come and talked to me about it instead." Sirius made to respond, but she shook her head and continued, "It doesn't matter now; you've made your position very clear, and there's nothing I can do about it. And as much as I'd rather just leave now, I do want to see Harry, and I don't want to keep him from seeing the rest of my family either. We'll have to see about staying for dinner, but we won't leave before Harry returns."

She then turned to the twins and said, sternly, "Even though you're of age, I don't want to hear about you getting into any trouble after we leave. And I expect you home no later than the day after tomorrow!"

"Yes, Mum," chorused the twins, before flashing a grin a Sirius.

"Hermione, dear," said Missus Weasley, "you're welcome to come to the Burrow at any time. Just Floo call us to make sure somebody's home first, alright?"

"Thanks, Missus Weasley," replied Hermione.

"Now, since we won't be doing anymore cleaning today, I want everyone to go wash up before Harry gets here." She clapped her hands twice, and the children scattered to clean up. Turning back to Sirius, she asked, "If we stay for dinner, would it be alright if I helped cook?"

Sirius smiled genuinely. "Molly, I know I said that this is my house, and it is, but any time you want to cook a meal in my kitchen I'm not likely to say no," he said with a chuckle. "Besides, while I trust Kreacher to start cleaning the house properly, I'm not quite ready to try his cooking, let alone trust it."

Missus Weasley gave a smile back and nodded, saying, "I think that's probably a good idea."

* * *

When Harry stepped out of the Floo at Grimmauld Place it was quiet. Too quiet. He'd expected to hear shouting about Sirius's return, or at least be mobbed by everyone welcoming him back, but instead the room was empty and he heard nothing. He quietly moved to the doorway and carefully stuck his head around the corner. As he did so, he suddenly heard voices, albeit rather muffled. " _Silencing ward,_ " he thought to himself. " _Thanks, Sirius._ "

He crept slowly towards the stairs, and just as he reached the bottom stair the voices became loud and clear. "Do you think we should ask Dumbledore to come for dinner?" asked Missus Weasley.

Harry grinned at Sirius's reply of, "I don't think he'll be able to make it, Molly." Harry knew that right now Her Majesty was at Hogwarts, giving the Headmaster a rather large piece of her mind. He suspected that even if Dumbledore's house arrest was lifted, he wasn't going to be interested in going anywhere this evening.

"Well what about the rest of the Order?" she asked.

"Why don't we wait until Harry gets here, and you can ask him if he wants to invite anyone else for dinner. After all, you're talking about throwing a party for him, not for everyone else."

Sirius's comment seemed like as good a cue as any, so he stepped up onto the landing and turned up the stairs saying, "Hi everyone, did you miss me?"

There was a chorus of, "Harry!", and everyone started to move down the stairs at once. Sirius looked torn between getting in their way and ducking for his life, but before he could do anything Harry held up a hand and said, "STOP!" causing everyone to come to a halt. "I'm very happy to see you all, and I'm glad you're happy to see me, but I'm not really interested in being trampled to death, nor would I appreciate anything happening to my godfather, especially now. So please, calm down, count to ten, then walk down the stairs normally. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere other than back to the parlor to wait for you." Saying thus, he turned and walked back to the parlor, realizing that the silencing wards had either fallen or been taken down.

A few seconds later there was a steady stream of Weasleys pouring into the parlor, all heading for Harry at a fast walk. He gave them a look, and everyone slowed down, albeit not a lot. The first to reach him was Ron, his longer strides helping him beat his mother and sister. He stopped in front of Harry with a questioning look, then stuck out his hand. "Welcome back, Harry," he said, "I'm Ron, Ron Weasley," then flashed a grin.

Harry shook his hand and formally replied, "Harry Potter." Then he grinned back and asked, "What's with the formal introduction?"

Ron gave a chuckle and replied, "Apparently we've both done some growing up lately, so I figured I'd save you the trouble of asking who I was." Seeing the astounded look on Harry's face, he added, "Yeah, I know, who'd have thought it. Still cheering for the Cannons though."

Harry laughed and pulled Ron into a brief hug, saying, "Thanks, mate. We good?"

Ron nodded as Harry released him. "Yeah, we're good. Welcome back." He gave Harry another back-slapping hug, then stepped back to let someone else in.

That someone else was Hermione, who had moved past the other Weasleys while he was talking to Ron, and pulled him into a big hug. "Oh, Harry, I'm sorry!" she said with a little sob.

Harry tried to pull back but she wouldn't let up, so he just asked, "You're sorry? What for?"

"It's all my fault you had to revoke the Charter," she said. "If only I had thought of the possibility before you wrote the Queen. I should have known she wouldn't have let this go, and now with everything that's happened..."

She trailed off as Harry shushed her. "Don't be ridiculous, Hermione. You can't think of everything all the time. Besides, Sirius warned me of the possibility before we left, and even if I had known in advance I don't think I would have done anything differently. It may not have worked out exactly the way I originally anticipated, but overall I think the end result was for the best. Especially since Voldemort is now gone."

Hermione looked up at him pensively. "You really mean that? You would still have done it even if you knew what was going to happen?"

"Yes, Hermione, I would," he said. "That's not to say that I don't wish a few things happened a little differently, but overall I think this was just what Magical Britain needed in the long run."

Hermione nodded and gave him a little smile before pulling him into one more quick hug. As she stepped back, Missus Weasley asked, "If I may ask, Harry, what do you wish had happened differently?"

Harry looked at Ginny, who had been about to take Hermione's place, and held up one finger. "How about I explain things after everyone gets their welcome back hugs out of the way? I don't think Ginny wants to wait."

Missus Weasley smiled, then replied, "Go ahead, Harry. Make my little girl happy."

" _Not as happy as you think,_ " he said to himself, as he let Ginny pull him into a big hug.

After a moment Ginny said, "I'm so glad you're alright, Harry!" She pulled him tighter for a moment, then pulled back and looked up, clearly aiming to kiss him.

Much to her surprise, Harry put up a hand between them and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Ginny, but I'm not interested in you like that, at least not right now."

There was a chorus of gasps, and Ginny pulled back a little and looked shocked. "But... but I thought you liked it when I kissed you before you left!"

Harry pulled her back into a hug, and said, "Oh, Ginny, I did like it. After all, what boy wouldn't like a kiss from a cute girl. But I'm looking for more than just being cute. Besides, as I'm sure Sirius has already told you, I'm not the same person as I was before I left." He released Ginny from the hug and gently held her out to arm's length, but didn't let go of her shoulders. "I also seem to remember you admitting that you weren't over your crush on me, and while I'm honored that you feel that way, I need something different. I need someone who is interested in me, Harry, and _just_ Harry. Not the Boy-Who-Lived, not the Boy-Who-Toppled-The-Ministry, not the Knight Commander of the Victorian Order; just plain old Harry Potter who admittedly feels a lot older than fifteen."

Ginny's eyes were brimming with tears as she realized that even if she was only a year younger than he was, right now that gap felt awfully big. She tried to give him a smile, but it was more like a grimace. "So where does that leave me now?" she asked.

"Right now?" he replied. "Right now you're Ginny Weasley, sister of my best mate who I hope is still willing to be friends for now. As to the future?" He shrugged. "Who knows what will happen in a few years. Maybe we'll just be friends, maybe we'll become something more, right now it's not important. But what is important is that you don't try to force things. I don't have enough friends as is, and I'd hate to lose one, OK?"

Ginny did manage a weak smile this time, and said, "OK, Harry, I understand." She sniffed once, then got a determined look on her face. "Just remember that we Weasleys are a stubborn bunch, and we don't give up easily!"

Harry chuckled and nodded. "Just don't cut off your nose to spite your face."

Now Ginny looked confused. Harry opened his mouth to explain, then looked over at Hermione and said, "Can you explain it, Hermione? I think Missus Weasley's getting impatient."

Hermione smiled and grabbed Ginny's arm, pulling her out of the way as Missus Weasley swooped in for a hug. Once again Harry put his hand out, stopping her, but only for a second. He spread his arms and simply said, "Gently," in a firm tone, then allowed Missus Weasley to give him a hug. She clearly took his word to heart, as he didn't push her away before she let go. As she took a step back, Harry gave her a smile and said, "Thanks."

"I'm glad you're back, Harry, safe and sound," she said. "Please don't worry me like that again. You know you could have come to me for help if you needed it."

"Missus Weasley," he said, "I really appreciate everything you've done for me, and I know you mean well, but sometimes your wishes and my wishes aren't the same. And while I do look at you as the closest to a mother figure I've ever been able to remember, you're not my guardian, Sirius is."

Missus Weasley started to huff, but stopped when she saw Harry's steely glare. She started to open her mouth, but stopped when she saw Harry shake his head slowly, just barely moving it left and right.

"Blimey!" said Ron under his breath. "He just stared down mum!"

Ginny and the twins just stared in shock, while even Hermione and Sirius had slightly awed expressions on their faces.

Harry paid no attention to Ron or anyone else for that matter, as he held Missus Weasley's gaze and spoke in a soft, even tone. "Sirius is my godfather, my rightful Magical guardian, and once we have time to do all the required work will be my adoptive father in both the Magical and non-Magical worlds. I know you may not agree, but this is not up for discussion. Understood?"

Missus Weasley swallowed hard, then nodded, finally realizing exactly what Sirius had meant about Harry no longer being a boy.

"Good," said Harry, relaxing back into a smile. "Now what's this about a party in my honor?"

After taking a moment to collect herself, Missus Weasley replied, "Just a little celebration about your return, dear. Sirius said I could make dinner tonight, and I wanted to do something special for you. Do you want to invite anyone else?"

Harry thought for a moment before answering, "Remus, assuming he's available, and Sirius's cousin, what's her name." He looked at Sirius, who said, "Tonks," before turning back to Missus Weasley. "Tonks. If she's going to be my cousin too, I'd like to get to know her better, but that's all, at least for tonight." He sighed before continuing, "I have a feeling I'm going to be answering questions about this past week for the rest of my life, aren't I?"

Everybody nodded and gave some form of affirmative answer, causing Harry to groan and hide his face in his hands even though he was clearly smiling. "Thanks, Missus Weasley, I'm looking forward to your cooking. Food at the palace was good, but it just wasn't the same."

Missus Weasley smiled and said, "Thank you, dear. Now let me get out of the way so Fred and George can do their thing." She gave him one last quick hug, before stepping back and walking to the doorway.

Fred and George approached Harry slowly, and he tensed slightly expecting them to try and hug him from both sides. Instead, to his surprise, they dropped to their knees and began bowing to him, chanting, "We're not worthy! We're not worthy!"

After a few seconds Harry reached down and grabbed them both and pulled them up, saying, "Give it a rest, you two."

The twins looked up, saw the smile on Harry's face, and promptly pounced on him. This time he was caught unawares, and found himself crushed between the twins for a few seconds before they released him and took a step back. "Thank you Harry," said Fred.

"For giving us," continued George.

"Hours and hours," said Fred.

"Of great fun," finished George.

"Um, you're welcome," said Harry confusedly, "but what did I do?"

"The Daily Prophet articles!" they both said, then dissolved into gales of laughter and fell back to the floor, clearly remembering something from them that tickled their fancy.

Harry looked down at them, then shook his head. "I didn't think they were that funny," he said to himself, before looking up at the assembled crowd. "Now, I know you all have questions, but answers like these shouldn't be given on an empty stomach. So, what's for lunch?" Harry smiled as everyone else laughed (the twins were still rolling on the floor), then proceeded to the kitchen for lunch and questions.

* * *

Shortly before lunchtime Minerva McGonagall found herself giving a tour of Hogwarts to Her Majesty the Queen, something she never expected to be doing. Not just because the Queen was a Muggle, but because when she had written to the then Crown Princess as a child, she had received a form letter response, and assumed that would be the last time she ever interacted with the now Queen. Instead, in addition to giving a walking tour of the castle, the Queen had just surprised her with an unexpected request.

"Professor McGonagall," said the Queen as they were finishing up the tour, "we were hoping you would be willing to correspond with us periodically about the goings-on here at Hogwarts."

McGonagall thought about it for a moment before cautiously asking, "Are you asking me to spy on the Headmaster, Your Majesty?"

The Queen chuckled before responding, "No, Professor, we have our own people to do that." McGonagall looked surprised, then smiled in response, so the Queen continued, "No, what we are asking for is your own unfiltered opinion as to how things are going given the changes that have been, and will be, imposed on both the school itself as well as Magical Britain as a whole. We know that change is hard, and many of these changes are inevitable, but for at least some of them it may be possible to adjust the speed at which they are made in order to both ease the burden on those affected, as well as increasing the level of acceptance."

"So you just want me to tell you what is and isn't working here at Hogwarts?" asked McGonagall, not fully understanding the request.

"Yes and no," said the Queen. "While we certainly won't object to you reporting the facts, we are more interested in your opinions, concerns and observations. Things that you may not have hard evidence to back up, but your years as a professor tell you are important. It doesn't have to be enough to act on right away, but anything you feel we should be aware of as possibly needing more attention. Our intention is to make life better for all of Magical Britain, but we know that some people may feel that the opposite is happening. If there are things we can do to assuage those feelings without compromising our values, we wish to make things as comfortable as possible. As both Deputy Headmistress and a professor of one of the core subjects, you know these students as a whole better than probably anyone else, and so we ask that you use that knowledge to help us make things work better.

This time McGonagall nodded, though she still thought about it for a minute while they continued to walk. Finally she said, "I believe I understand your request better. You wish to ensure the best possible outcome with all the changes that are happening, and while your people can assess the results of those changes, they don't have the inside knowledge to understand how the process is working."

The Queen smiled. "That is exactly what we are asking for. If the process isn't working, the results will not be what we desire. Therefore, the sooner we fix the process, the better the results will be."

"A wise strategy, Your Majesty," replied McGonagall. "Perhaps I will see if the other head of houses, at least those who are still here, would be willing to provide their input as well."

"That would be most welcome. Please send your reports to the Crown Wizards' office so that they can handle them for us. If you could send them at least monthly, we would greatly appreciate it."

"I'll do my best," said McGonagall as they reached the doors to the Great Hall. "Will you be joining us for lunch?"

"Unfortunately not," said the Queen, "while we are curious about the food here, we have other engagements we must attend to, and we do believe our chief of security would not appreciate us eating food that he had not ensured the safety of. Please remind the Headmaster when you next see him that we await his response, he'll know what we're talking about."

"I will, Your Majesty. Thank you for coming to Hogwarts, I hope your visit was enjoyable."

The Queen frowned for a second, then relaxed. "It was not the most pleasant of visits, but it was necessary. We did, however, enjoy this tour very much, thank you. Perhaps we can do it again someday."

"It would be my pleasure," replied McGonagall. Bowing slightly she said, "Good day, Your Majesty."

"Thank you, and to you too," said the Queen, and she started to turn towards the main doors as indicated by her escort. Then she stopped, turned back, and added, "Oh, Minerva?" Professor McGonagall stopped her turn towards the Great Hall and turned back to the Queen, slightly shocked by the use of her first name. "I know you received a form letter response, but I wanted to thank you for your kind note all those years ago. Knowing what I now know of the Magical world, I appreciate your kind words back then even more."

McGonagall blushed again, then nodded, not trusting her words as she was reminded of her eleven year-old self for the second time today.

The Queen smiled once more, nodded, then turned and left Hogwarts. Whether anyone realized it at the time, it was a very different place now than it had been when she arrived, mere hours ago.


	31. Hogwarts Introspection

_Originally Posted 7/8/16, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 31: Hogwarts Introspection**

Albus Dumbledore sat staring at the wall in his office contemplating his conversation with the Queen. No, not conversation; that would have implied that there was a back-and-forth between the two of them. This had been a royal chewing out, and no matter how he tried to spin it in his head there was no denying it.

The morning had gotten off to a less-than-auspicious start when the Queen had addressed him, and most of Hogwarts' staff, while they finished their breakfast. Despite having no direct interaction with the school until now, she cited a number of items that in hindsight he could only agree had not been handled as well as they could have, and possibly much worse. He had tried to steer the conversation away from the Great Hall before she could do so, but it quickly became clear that despite his position as Headmaster, she was the one in charge and would not be dissuaded.

Once they had reached his office, things went from bad to worse very quickly. He'd been chided like a first year for expressing his dismay at the death of Voldemort and his followers, and then had nearly gotten himself arrested by trying to avoid divulging his suspicion about Horcruxes. But the worst was when Her Majesty had accused him of setting Harry up to die just so he could come in and claim credit for dispatching Voldemort himself. He'd been so shocked at the suggestion that he'd barely had a chance to consider why she had made it before the Queen had steamrollered on, raising one issue after another until his head was pounding. And that was even after a couple of shots of firewhisky.

The institutionalized bigotry against anyone not considered a pure-blood, Muggleborns especially. The way that bigotry was allowed to continue, and even be nurtured, here at Hogwarts. His lack of action to prevent the Magical world from withdrawing further after the war against Grindelwald, which deepened the fear of Muggles and by extension Muggleborns. His failure to use his ties with the ICW to bring Magical Britain closer to the rest of the world, rather than allowing it to withdraw, making it easier for bigotry and fear to grow in isolation. His failure to act on his suspicions regarding Tom Riddle, which might have prevented the rise of Voldemort.

All of those things weighed on him, but none more so than this: after asking him why he never used his role as Chief Warlock, or accepted the position of Minister of Magic, to try and push through his claimed desire to improve the lives of everyone, he had responded that he felt his calling was here at Hogwarts educating the children of the Magical world. To which she had point blank accused him of being a coward, afraid of making the hard decision to do what was right instead of doing what was easy. Certainly he could have used his position as Headmaster to effect the changes he claimed to want to make, but since he clearly hadn't she had to assume he was simply too afraid to take on the establishment in an uphill battle.

He had tried to argue his case, but after a short while even he had to admit that anything he said sounded like an excuse given the context of the morning's discussions. He had agreed to consider her words hoping to be done with the verbal beating he was taking, when she dropped the other shoe on him, namely the situation with regards to Harry Potter.

* * *

"Headmaster," she said, he tone growing even harder if it was possible, "there is one final topic to discuss regarding the past, before we begin to discuss the future. Namely, your actions towards Sir Harry Potter and Sirius Black."

Dumbledore swallowed slowly, realizing that his censure was not yet finished. He had hoped that the earlier discussion about Harry would have been enough to placate Her Majesty, but it clearly was not. "Yes, well," he said, "I don't suppose you'll accept that I simply did what I thought was best?"

The Queen narrowed her eyes at Dumbledore, and he put up his hands in surrender. "Our patience runs thin, Headmaster. If it weren't for the fact that we do not believe that there is sufficient evidence to convict you, combined with the likelihood that Sir Harry would prefer to just put it all behind him, we would have had you arrested on child abuse charges the moment we arrived. While we do not doubt that you believe what you just said, we cannot allow it to go unchallenged."

Dumbledore nodded, accepting the rebuke. Based on what he had learned starting at Harry's trial, and continuing through this conversation, there was much about his behavior that even he could see was debatable.

"We do not wish to belabor the point, but we believe there are several things that cannot be ignored. For starters, how is it that Sirius Black, an innocent man, was placed in prison for the rest of his life without receiving even the most basic of trials? Even if his absence had not affected young Harry's placement after his parents' death, it was a travesty of justice that no lawful society should ever accept. While we have heard that you were not directly involved with the initial decision, how is it that after almost fourteen years of being in a position to right that wrong you did nothing until you were no longer in a position to even try?"

"I wish I had a good answer for you, Your Majesty, but you've already established that I don't. I can only say that when he was first arrested I believed him to be guilty, and given the climate after Voldemort's first defeat I did not believe that there was any benefit to a trial rehashing the Potters' deaths while the horrors of the war were so fresh. As time went on, there seemed to be no reason to question his sentence, and I was worried that if he had a trial young Harry would have to be brought back into the Magical world before he was ready." The Queen gave a cough, and Dumbledore paused before acknowledging, "Before I was ready for him to return."

The Queen nodded, and Dumbledore continued. "By the time Sirius's innocence was proven to me at the end of Harry's third year, I was no longer in a position to grant him a trial without engaging in a major fight, one I was not prepared to wage given everything else that was indicating Voldemort's imminent return. I did my best to help him quietly, but I did not think there was any way for him to safely come forward until the events of last Thursday turned everything upside down."

"And it never occurred to you that if he was indeed innocent, that young Harry would have been able to grow up in a loving household with someone who wanted him to be there, rather than with those horrid relatives you placed him with?"

"I considered it, yes, but both the instruments I had set up to watch him as well as the reports I got from one of his neighbors whom I had asked to keep an eye on him indicated he was safe and doing well. I was worried that taking him out of that environment would do him more harm than good."

The Queen narrowed her eyes. "Did you ever check on him yourself, directly, to verify the reports you were getting? Can you honestly say that you know what his life was like growing up in that house?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "No, I never got that close. I was concerned that someone might follow me and determine where he lived, as well as the possible reaction from Petunia and her husband, given their dislike of Magic."

"And yet you made him return there every summer after he first came here. Do you have any idea what his home life was like? We only know what little he's told us, plus a brief report from someone who did a quick check of the house, and we can assure you he was never cared for properly in that house. One of the things that stood out to the Detective Inspector was that there was not a single picture of Harry anywhere to be seen. As though he didn't even exist! Does that sound like a loving home to you?"

Dumbledore hung his head in shame. "Petunia hated her sister for being a witch when she wasn't, but I had hoped that she would find it in her heart to care for her orphaned nephew. While she took him into her house out of obligation in exchange for the protections her blood tie to Harry gave them, I fear she never took him into her heart. But once the blood wards were sealed, there was no place safer for him in Magical Britain, and so I needed him to stay there as much as possible." He looked back at the Queen, and she could see tears in the corners of his eyes as he near-whispered, "I wish it had worked out differently, but things don't always go the way we wish."

The Queen considered Dumbledore's demeanor and his words, and accepted that he truly regretted Harry's difficulties even if he was their architect. "While we accept your sincerity, it still doesn't excuse your behavior. There's also the matter of your behavior towards him since his arrival in the Magical world."

"Your Majesty?" asked Dumbledore, confusion evident in his face.

"It seems to us, Headmaster," as she emphasized his title, "that you have taken an unhealthy proclivity towards controlling Sir Harry's life even when he is not in school. Tell us, do you engage in this level of supervision with all of your students, or just this one?"

Dumbledore tried to remain impassive as he said, "Well, I am generally appointed Magical guardian of all Muggleborns until they have graduated," but everyone in the room could tell it was a cop-out.

"And tell us, Headmaster, who would have been Sir Harry's Magical Guardian had he not been placed with his non-Magical relatives?" asked the Queen with an edge in her voice.

Dumbledore hung his head. "As his godfather, Sirius Black should have been Harry's guardian, Magical or otherwise. I believe we've already discussed the reasons why he wasn't."

"Yes, Headmaster, but what we want to know is this: If you were not supposed to be Sir Harry's Magical guardian, and you are merely the Headmaster of his school, why did you feel that you had the right to control his life outside of school? And perhaps more importantly, why did you not do your best to protect him when he was in school, where you _were_ supposed to control things?" The last was asked with a hard edge, daring Dumbledore to give yet another poor excuse.

Instead, the Headmaster looked confused, and asked, "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but how did I not protect him while he was in school? I certainly did my best to protect him just as much as I did any other student."

"Did you really?" she asked. "You seem to be suffering from delusions of adequacy, Headmaster." Dumbledore's face took on an indignant look which the Queen pointedly ignored as she went on. "As we understand it, Sir Harry was targeted by large numbers of the student body several times over his four years as a student here, and yet nothing was ever done by any of the faculty or staff to address or curtail it. Additionally, through no fault of _his_ own," she said emphasizing the word 'his', "Sir Harry was entered into a contest which he was legally not permitted to participate in; yet, for all your claims of wanting to protect him, you made no attempt to get his entrance into the contest voided or otherwise prevent him from having to participate, or even ensure that the rest of the students knew that he was not competing of his own volition! As we understand it, the end result was that another boy was killed when he was caught in a trap to kidnap Sir Harry, one which ultimately resulted in the return of the so-called Dark Lord. Would you have permitted any of that to happen if it had been any other student?"

"There was nothing I could do to get Harry out of the TriWizard Tournament," protested Dumbledore, "it was a binding Magical contract!"

The Queen glared at him and asked, "Did you even try?" Seeing Dumbledore's shoulders sag she continued, "And that is why we say you did nothing! Whether or not you succeeded, it was your responsibility to try! How can you claim to have done your best when you didn't do anything at all? In addition to those things, you even permitted one of his teachers to abuse him from his very first class. How Severus Snape was ever allowed to be around children, let alone teach them, totally escapes us! Do you have anything to say in your defense?"

Dumbledore opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He closed it and opened it again, then repeated the action several times before closing it and being quiet for several seconds. Finally, he said, "I could say several things that I believed to be true at the time, but as you keep poking holes in them I must admit that I'm not sure any of them are valid anymore."

The Queen gave him a hard look for a moment, then nodded. "For once, Headmaster, we believe you are beginning to understand. Your actions towards Sir Harry, irrespective of your positions in the Magical world when you took them, are indefensible. Were things slightly different, we would see you prosecuted to the fullest extent possible to ensure that you could not do any of them to anyone else again." She held up a hand to forestall Dumbledore's protest and continued, "However, we believe that doing so would cause more damage than good, especially to Sir Harry, and lord knows he's been through more than enough already. But that does not mean that you will not have to face the consequences of your actions!"

Dumbledore nodded slowly, recognizing the generosity of the Queen's statement, as well as the implied threat. "I believe it would be in my best interest not to say anything more for the time being, Your Majesty," he said, sitting back in his chair.

"Perhaps you can teach an old dog new tricks," said the Queen, a small smile coming to her face. "Listen carefully, Headmaster, as your future depends on your response much more than mine right now. First of all, consider yourself on probation for the coming year. We believe it would be too much of a detriment to the students to simply replace you right now, but do not think we will hesitate to do so if we believe that has changed. However, unless we see significant changes in your own behavior, you should also expect that this will be your last year as Headmaster. Again, your own behavior will determine whether there remains a place for you here in some other capacity or not."

Dumbledore looked at the Queen in a mixture of shock and sadness, having already come to the realization that his days as Headmaster were likely numbered. Still, to be threatened with removal at any time was harsher than even he had expected, and he had no idea how to respond to it.

The Queen, however, was far from finished. "While there will be many changes that we expect to be put in place by the start of the following school year, there are at least three that we intend to see put in place this year, though perhaps not immediately. First, the favoritism shown to different groups must stop. While we suspect that the removal of Mister Snape will go a long way towards righting that wrong, we wish to make it unequivocally clear that you are to ensure that the entire staff knows that everyone, regardless of their status or affiliation, is to be treated fairly and according to the merits or demerits of their actions. No more, no less. Do you understand?"

Dumbledore nodded, having recovered slightly from his shock. "Yes, Your Majesty, I understand. I cannot promise that it will be completely fair on the first day of school, but I will endeavor to ensure that everyone does their best. I will also instruct the staff that if they believe one of their colleagues is not being fair that they are to bring it to my attention immediately."

"Good," she said, "we believe that is an acceptable starting point. Second, there will be no more brushing incidents of bullying or attacks on other students under the rug. While we understand that there will always be the equivalent of schoolyard roughhousing, you must also remember that each and every one of your students carries something that can be used as a deadly weapon, and any improper use of it must be treated as such if they are to learn how to handle it safely and properly. Using a wand in school should be a privilege, not a right, and anyone who abuses that privilege should have it taken away."

"But how will they learn in their classes if they have no wand?" protested Dumbledore.

"Then it will be a hard lesson to learn, but one they won't be likely to forget!" replied the Queen harshly. "If you wish to impose a lesser punishment for first time offenders, such as restricting their wand use to inside the classroom, that is up to you. But we expect that anyone who attempts to harm another person, be it student, staff, or anyone else, should have their wand taken away from them for an amount of time fitting their actions. And if they do actually cause any injury beyond very minor scrapes or bruises, we expect that you will call the Aurors to investigate the incident further and determine if it rises to the level of a crime. We do not expect you to call them for everything, nor do we expect every time you call them to result in a prosecution, but until you have established a reputation for handling things properly you are to err on the side of caution and have an outside party investigate things before a final determination is made. This is supposed to be a place where students can learn in safety; see to it that it really is one."

Dumbledore swallowed. Hogwarts had always been his personal fiefdom since he'd taken over as Headmaster, and the idea of calling the Aurors to investigate incidents involving students did not sit well with him. But, he realized, if he didn't do as she asked she'd simply replace him and have the new Headmaster do it instead, and he still wouldn't have any choice in the matter. Reluctantly he nodded. "I will admit that I am uncomfortable with your request, but I understand that my choices are to accede to your wishes or be replaced. Since I'm not ready to give up my position of Headmaster quite yet, that limits my choice to agreeing to your wishes."

"We do not ask you to like our instructions, merely that you follow them." The Queen smirked at him and added, "We have raised four children of our own, and are quite used to it."

This drew grins all around, and even Dumbledore had to acknowledge the humor of the statement. "I believe you said that there were three things you wished to see happen right away?" he asked.

"Yes, Headmaster," she replied. "And we understand if this last item cannot be done before the start of the school year, especially since you need to replace at least one of your teachers unexpectedly. But we wish that it be done by the start of the new year. You are to hire four new staff members to act as Heads of the four Houses. That is to be their only job, and they are to be available twenty-four hours a day to act as counselors and helpers for their students. Ideally they should be between ten and fifteen years post-graduation, so that they are young enough to relate to the students while still being old enough to be responsible adults. They should live in apartments attached to each house, and other than when they are sleeping or out, their door should be open to the students. They may, at their discretion, volunteer to act as substitute teachers on occasion should one of the full-time professors be unavailable for a short period of time, but they are not to hold any permanent teaching position that would take time away from their primary responsibilities.

"These new House Heads will have the same authority as professors for discipline and other issues, but they will also explicitly be advocates for the students first, and the school second, so that students can go to them for assistance should they have a dispute with one of their teachers. Thus, in the event of a problem such as the one Sir Harry had with Mister Snape, there will be at least one staff member the student can go to knowing that they would automatically take them seriously and not just brush off their concerns. This does not mean the student will always be in the right, just that they should never feel like nobody is listening to them."

Dumbledore didn't meet the Queen's eyes as he acknowledged the instruction, as well as the rebuke. He had brushed off Harry's complaints about Severus, though he'd had what he thought were good reasons at the time, but doing so again would not be conducive to his long-term employment. "I'm not sure who we'll find to fill those positions, but I agree that they do sound like a good idea, assuming the Ministry provides us with additional funds to cover the costs."

"We will see to it that they do, Headmaster," said the Queen, her tone a little softer now. "After all, we can hardly issue a mandate like this without also issuing appropriations. This is also why we accept the possibility of it not happening until the new year; there are outside concerns that need to be addressed to enable you to comply, and we know that these things will take a little time."

"Thank you," replied Dumbledore, feeling a little better about the new requirements now that he was sure the Queen wasn't insensitive to reasonable concerns. "I will have to focus on hiring new teachers first, but once that is done I'll start looking into good candidates for the new Head of House positions."

"Very good," said the Queen, "we appreciate your amenability to these changes, and look forward to seeing them implemented. Now, there is one last matter to discuss before we must be going. Namely your treatment of Sir Harry going forward."

Dumbledore sighed, then nodded his head but said nothing.

"Sirius Black is now, in all but a final legal judgment, Harry James Potter's adoptive father. While it will likely take a year or more to complete the legal process in the non-Magical world, we are given to understand that the process is much faster in the Magical world, and should be completed within a few days at most. You are not to interfere with that relationship in any way; you will not protest it, you will not attempt to send Sir Harry back to his non-Magical relatives, nor will you make any attempt to discredit Sirius Black as Sir Harry's adoptive father. Do we make ourself clear?"

The Queen stared at Dumbledore, daring him to challenge her authority. He met her gaze briefly, but quickly averted his eyes before nodding and saying, "Yes, Your Majesty, I understand."

"Good," she said with an air of finality. "If you wish to discuss anything not specifically related to his school activities, we expect you to at the very least get permission, in writing, from Mister Black before you even approach Sir Harry about it. Depending on his wishes, Mister Black may wish to be present before you discuss things with his son; if that's the case, you will either allow his presence or you won't discuss it. The same rules hold for every student of yours; unless they choose to bring the subject to you, you are not to raise non-school-related issues with them without their parent or guardian's permission. The only exceptions to this rule are if you suspect either imminent danger to the student, or that the problem involves their parent or guardian; in those cases, we also suggest that you contact the Aurors, as they will likely be better equipped to handle things anyway. Are we agreed?"

"We are," said Dumbledore, and the Queen nodded.

"Good. We know we have asked a lot of you today, and that many of the things we have said are not comfortable for you. While we feel it would be best for you to remain as Headmaster for the year to come, we also would understand if you chose to step down and hand the process off to someone else." She raised her hand as Dumbledore started to interrupt, causing him to subside. "We know you have said you do not wish to step down at this time, but we also know people can change their minds. All we ask is that if you do, that you please inform us no later than the twenty-first of August so that we can find a suitable replacement before school starts."

"I do not believe I will change my mind," said Dumbledore, "but I will consider things and give you a response by Friday."

"Very well, Headmaster, thank you for your time," said the Queen, and she rose from her seat preparing to depart.

* * *

Before the Queen had left his office, she had rescinded his house arrest and withdrawn her forces who had been keeping an eye on him, leaving him truly alone for the first time in nearly a week. He'd offered, and she'd accepted, a tour of the castle, though she'd requested that it be given by Professor McGonagall rather than himself. He'd actually been relieved by the request, as he wasn't sure he was ready to deal with any of the other staff members before he'd had time to adjust to his new marching orders.

Yes, he was still the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but he was definitely no longer in complete control. Still, even he had to admit that she'd raised more than one valid point, and he suspected over time he'd probably come to acknowledge more of them, but it was definitely a lot to consider all at once.

And, he realized as he reached once more for the bottle of firewhisky, he had a couple of long overdue apologies to issue to Harry Potter and Sirius Black.

* * *

Dinner at 12 Grimmauld Place that night was a mixed affair; it had started off a little strained because people weren't sure what was and wasn't off-limits, but things quickly relaxed as Harry made it clear that while he wasn't going to answer every question in detail (or at all), he didn't mind being asked questions as long as they gave him time to eat and talk about other things too. Arthur Weasley had been surprised to find his family already packed up to return to the Burrow, but he had been going to suggest that they do so anyway and so he just shrugged and let it go. After seeing the changes in Sirius, it didn't surprise him that Molly's habit of taking over the house would not be tolerated anymore.

Remus, while he'd heard some of the things that had happened from Arthur after he returned home that fateful day when the Magical world had been upended, was still astonished at the changes in both his best friend and his pseudo-nephew. Sirius had always been headstrong, but now it was tempered with consideration and deliberation. Halfway through dinner the realization finally struck him and he turned to his friend and exclaimed, "Sirius Black, you grew up!" Sirius's response of, "Shh... Don't tell Harry!" whispered loud enough for everyone to hear had the table laughing for several minutes.

Tonks had initially felt a bit like an outsider, given her more recent introduction to the group, but was put at ease by the way everyone, but especially Harry and Sirius welcomed her and included her in the conversation. Towards the end of dinner she looked at Harry and said, "Not that I don't appreciate all this, but why did you include me tonight? I would have thought you would have just wanted to keep it to your family and friends."

Harry smiled at her and replied, "Tonks, you're Sirius's cousin. One of the only ones he likes, and the only one of those that I know. I don't have any blood family left that I care to name, but Sirius is adopting me and that means we're going to be cousins too. So I figured now was as good a time as any to get to know you a little better. Plus I figured Sirius wouldn't mind either," he turned to Sirius and grinned, "right?"

Sirius grinned back. "Nope, not at all. Besides," he turned to Tonks, "I need to talk to you anyway. Family business," he said with a wink.

Tonks's brow furrowed for a second, then her eyes went wide. She nodded, then turned away, not trusting her voice not to crack as she remembered what he'd offered the last time she'd seen him. Fortunately for her the conversation turned to other things as Harry and Sirius kept answering assorted questions about their time with the Queen.

* * *

As the evening went on, Harry chuckled to himself about how different people found different things so fascinating. Mister Weasley wanted to know about everything Muggle he could, as usual, but all of the Weasleys were interested in how things at the Palace worked to some extent. Hermione wanted to know about absolutely everything, but was most astonished to learn that the Queen was already familiar with the Magical world, if not the recent history of it, and that she had her own personal team of wizards who worked directly for her. "But," she'd said rather plaintively, "but that's never been mentioned in any of the books I've read!"

That had gotten a good laugh around the table, and even Hermione had to admit that it was funny after the fact, but she still thought it was a fair question. "Think about it Hermione," Harry had said after he'd stopped laughing. "On the non-Magical side, there's no way you'd ever find the fact that the Queen had wizards working for her, as it's all a big secret. And on the Magical side, nobody's paid attention to the Queen in decades if not longer, so why would they even mention her at all? Besides, pretty much everyone who works for Her Majesty are Muggleborn who've left the Magical world after figuring out that they have no future in Magical Britain." That last statement was met with shocked silence by most of the table, though Mister Weasley nodded a little sadly and Sirius was shaking his head with a wry grin at Harry. "What?" asked Harry, as he realized almost everyone was staring at him.

Of course, Hermione was the first one to jump on him. "What do you mean Muggleborn have no future in Magical Britain?" This was followed by several people agreeing with the question, and Harry realizing that they must not have heard about it yet.

"Er," he said, looking at Sirius, "help?"

"Sorry Pup," replied his godfather, "you stepped in it, you get to clean it up!" before quietly laughing at the expression on his godson's face at the metaphor.

Harry shot a mild glare at Sirius, then looked back at Hermione and sighed. "Something we found out during our discussions with the Crown Wizards, which I know the Queen was not going to stand for. The ministry has an unofficial policy of discriminating against Muggleborns, and even half-bloods. While yes, you can get an entry level position as a Muggleborn, you're never going to be promoted out of it. No matter what the job is or how qualified you are to do it, if there's a pure-blood that can be promoted, they're going to get the job instead. And if there's no pure-bloods available, it'll go to a half-blood instead. Even if you do manage to get promoted, if a pure-blood comes along and wants your job, then you're out and they're in."

"But, but..." Hermione spluttered. "But that's not fair!"

"No, it's not," said Mister Weasley quietly, "but that's the way it is, or at least that's how it has been. I get the feeling it won't be that way much longer, but only because the Queen is going to force people to do things differently. As long as there have been pure-bloods making the rules, they've always favored themselves over half-bloods and Muggleborns."

Hermione looked at Mister Weasley in shock. "You knew about this? And you never told us?"

Mister Weasley looked at her apologetically and shrugged. "What was I supposed to tell you? Don't bother finishing your schooling since there's no future for you in the Magical world? I know you're probably smarter than everyone else in the room combined but it's all worth exactly nothing to most of Magical Britain? You've already had to grow up a little quicker than normal due to everything going on regarding You-Know-Who."

Harry gave Mister Weasley a look and coughed, "Voldemort," under his breath, but everyone except Sirius and Tonks ignored him. They both gave him a grin before turning back to Mister Weasley who just kept talking.

"I didn't want you to spend your years in Hogwarts worrying about what you were going to be able to do when you finished, since you were already worrying about whether or not you were going to be able to finish. But that's all a moot point now anyway, right?" The last was directed at Harry and Sirius, who nodded.

"If not right away, certainly by the time we graduate," said Harry. "In fact, I'm pretty sure that's one of the things she was planning on talking to Dumbledore about today."

Missus Weasley frowned, but for once she held her tongue. Harry had told them about the Queen's visit to Hogwarts at lunch when they first interrogated him about his time away, and he'd made it quite clear that he didn't want to hear one word about how Dumbledore was infallible or knew better than anyone else. The two of them had engaged in a brief battle of wills over that point, but to everyone's surprise Harry came out victorious for a second time since he'd returned home. After that Missus Weasley had made a point of staying away from controversial topics, much to everyone's relief.

Mister Weasley considered Harry's words then nodded, saying, "Well, I'm sure it won't be easy to change everyone's' minds, but I know there are at least a couple of department heads who tried to promote based on merit when they could, which was admittedly not very often. Of course, Madam Bones is no longer just a department head, but that might well make it easier for her to enforce the new rules by pushing out some of the old blood and promoting new people into their place." After some more discussion the one thing everyone agreed on was that things were still changing, and probably would be for some time to come.

* * *

Towards the end of the evening, Remus and Tonks told the stories of their involvement in the 'Great Escape,' as Remus called it, with Remus explaining how he'd helped get Harry and Sirius out the door and onto the tube followed by Tonks telling Harry and Sirius about what had happened when she returned from finding them outside of Buckingham Palace.

It was nearing ten o'clock when she had finished, and everyone who hadn't been invited to stay the night decided it was time to leave. Sirius took her aside as she headed for the door and said, "Tell your Mum to send me an owl next week about coming over for dinner, and you're invited too. I meant what I said about inviting both of you back into the family; now that I'm free and have accepted being the Head of House Black, I intend to do just that. Other than Harry here, you're the only family I have left that I care to acknowledge, and I intend to do just that."

"Th-thanks, Sirius," said Tonks quietly so her voice didn't crack. "I know that will mean a lot to Mum." She gave him a hug and walked out the door before he could see the tears forming in her eye. She may have left Grimmauld Place with tears in her eyes, but she also had a big smile on her face. While her Mum had never explicitly said it, Tonks knew that being cast out of the family had left a wound that still hadn't healed. Checking the time, she decided that her mum would probably still be awake and Apparated there instead of her flat. She didn't want to wait until tomorrow to tell her.


	32. The Dog Days of Summer

_Originally Posted 7/22/16, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 32: The Dog Days of Summer**

When Harry and Sirius had returned to the house at Grimmauld Place, there were two weeks left before the Hogwarts Express and much to be done in that time. Harry had spent the first couple of days hanging out with Hermione and the twins, making lists of all the things he needed to do before returning to Hogwarts, and marveling at the changes in the house once Kreacher started properly taking care of it. Now that Sirius had accepted the mantle of Head of the House of Black and enforced his will on the obnoxious house-elf, Kreacher's demeanor had changed radically. He still muttered under his breath about unruly teenagers in the house, but the grumblings took on a much more benign nature, almost as though they were out of habit rather than because he meant it.

Still, as much as he proved to be good at cleaning the house, it was Harry who did all of the cooking; after the first morning, Harry and Sirius had come to an agreement when the latter had nearly set the kitchen on fire attempting to boil water for tea. Harry actually enjoyed cooking when he wasn't being yelled at or forced to watch other people eat everything he made without getting some himself, so after getting his godfather to agree to do the dishes if he cooked, they settled into a routine that worked for both of them.

True to his word, Sirius had contacted Hermione's parents the evening he and Harry had returned, and they agreed she could spend a couple of days before returning to the Burrow with the twins. Hermione made a point of ensuring Harry had his summer work done before she left, not that he minded since it got it out of the way, and also extracted a promise that he'd come visit the Burrow before it was time to return to school. He'd agreed on the condition that she got Ron to finish his homework first, so that they could spend the entire time he was there doing fun things instead of schoolwork. They both thought this was a good idea, as it would give Ron the incentive to get it done sooner since Harry wouldn't visit before he did.

That weekend, Harry and Sirius had a serious conversation about the ramifications of Magical adoption, just to be sure that they both knew what was going to happen as there was no turning back once it was done. Harry humored his godfather, knowing it was as much about Sirius convincing himself he'd be a good father as it was about proper form and procedure. Once he was convinced that Harry knew what he was getting into (and that he had no more excuses for delaying things), he performed the ritual to formally adopt Harry both as a member of House Black as well as personally as his son.

For all the long-winded discussions beforehand, it was actually rather simple, albeit not for the squeamish. It mostly involved Sirius making a specially worded formal statement of his intent to bring Harry into the family, followed by the two of them adding a few drops of their blood to a goblet of wine and then sharing the contents between them. All-in-all it felt a little anticlimactic, but the appearance of Harry's name on the Black family tapestry proved that it had worked, and besides, hadn't Sirius said that it was a lot easier than adoption on the non-Magical side?

After confirming the adoption on the tapestry, they went to Gringotts to ensure that it was recorded there as well. Once that was done, and Sirius had a temporary will stating that everything was to be split between Harry, Remus and the Tonks family, they investigated their financial situations now that Sirius was free and Harry had an adult guardian who wasn't interested in keeping secrets from him. Sirius found that while the Black fortune was no longer what it used to be, he was still well-enough to do that he didn't need a job anytime in the near future, or ever, really. He also had yet to be compensated by the Ministry for his imprisonment without a trial, but it was clear that it would be a little while before that was high enough on the priority list to be dealt with.

The real surprise was Harry's financial situation, now that his guardian was asking. While Harry had known his vault was fairly well stocked, having visited it three times before, he was quite surprised to learn exactly how much he had in it. Additionally, there were the deeds to some property that he hadn't been aware of, though it wasn't a whole lot: just the house in Godric's Hollow Harry had been living in when his parents were killed, as well as a small plot of land that used to have his grandparents' house before it had been burned down by Death Eaters looking for his family. Not including those properties, Harry had a little over fifty thousand Galleons to his name, most of it left over from the inheritance his father had gotten when his parents had died. Thus, while Harry was nowhere near as well off as Sirius was, he certainly had enough funds to last quite some time on his own, not that he needed to anymore.

Since neither property required any action right away and the Black holdings required a more in-depth review, they left things alone other than withdrawing sufficient funds to do some serious shopping for both of them and headed out to do just that. Harry was getting an entire new wardrobe to replace the various castoffs he'd gotten from his cousin, and Sirius needed a full non-Magical wardrobe since he planned to move into that world once Harry was off to Hogwarts. They also set up an owl post box in Diagon Alley, so that people could send them mail without having to worry about the Fidelius Charm on Grimmauld Place getting in the way. Plus, it would be important once Sirius started living in the non-Magical world, so he wouldn't have to worry about owls showing up at inopportune times.

Early Sunday morning they stopped in at the Ministry, as Harry had been asked to come speak to Mister Croaker, the Head Unspeakable, and there was almost nobody else there at that time. It turned out that Croaker had some questions about Tom Riddle's diary, which he'd been given to investigate with regards to Voldemort possibly having some way to cheat death. Harry didn't know much about the diary itself, having only had one brief encounter with it before the fight with the Basilisk, and in the end Croaker used a Pensieve to look at Harry's memory of the fight searching for clues. Sirius had watched it too, wanting to see what his godson had gone through, and when he came out of it he just hugged Harry tightly, unable to find the words to express his fear and amazement at what Harry had managed to survive. Harry had let Croaker keep the memory, and without any other information to give they had left him to review it while they continued their shopping spree.

By the end of the weekend they were shopped out, but thankfully had managed to accomplish almost everything they needed to, and the rest was waiting on the annual Hogwarts letter anyway. Kreacher had also been busy, and when they returned from their second day of shopping it was to a house that looked almost nothing like it had before. The cleaning was finished, and on top of that the decor had been lightened up somewhat, making the house much more welcoming and less foreboding. But the biggest change was the stairway; the old house-elf heads had been taken down, and the portrait of Missus Black had been moved into the formal dining room. There, she would still be able to listen to the goings-on in the house, but was no longer in the middle of everything, especially since Harry and Sirius took all their meals in the kitchen.

Kreacher was still a bit gruff and cantankerous, but he'd stopped insulting everyone but Sirius who had decided to give him an outlet to do so in a safe manner. As long as Kreacher was respectful of Sirius, he was allowed to say anything he wanted. This caused a brief dilemma for Kreacher, as his house-elf nature warred with his base personality, but eventually they seemed to come to an agreement. Kreacher would insult Sirius quietly under his breath, and as long as his Master didn't hear it he was fine. The first time Sirius did hear him, it caused Kreacher a bit of concern, but Sirius found that by insulting him right back it somehow made the house-elf feel better. So it was that Harry and Sirius were sitting down to breakfast Monday morning with Kreacher cleaning up from Sirius's latest (and last, at least if Harry had any say in it) attempt at cooking, with Kreacher and Sirius trading mostly good-natured insults with each other.

"I can't believe you tried to cook again," said Harry, shaking his head.

"Neither can Kreacher. Master must have rocks in his head!" called the house-elf before Sirius could reply.

"At least it's not poisonous," retorted Sirius, mock glaring at his house-elf, "I'm still afraid to try eating anything you'd cook!"

Kreacher just frowned, but didn't disagree, which made Harry chuckle. "Don't worry Kreacher, you'll get your chance to cook for him once I go back to Hogwarts. Just try not to kill him, I'd like to keep him around for a while."

Sirius made to say something else but they were interrupted by Hedwig's arrival, carrying a letter. "What have you got there, girl?" asked Harry as she landed in front of him. Taking the letter, he looked at his plate and then frowned. "Sorry girl, I don't have anything good for you this morning. Sirius tried to cook again."

Hedwig looked at Harry, then Sirius, before giving a, "Hoot!" and flying over to Kreacher who was holding a rasher of bacon with a rather disconcerting grin on his face. She took the bacon and flew off, leaving both wizards staring at the house-elf in shock.

"Kreacher, what did you do to that bacon?" snapped Sirius, while Harry suddenly looked worried for his owl.

"Kreacher cooked it, Master Black. Something you seem incapable of doing," he said. Then, looking at Harry, he added, "Do not worry young Master, it's not poisoned or otherwise harmful. Kreacher has nothing against young Master's owl, especially since she is so well behaved."

Harry signed in relief as Sirius stared at Kreacher. Finally he asked, incredulously, "You can cook?"

"Of course Kreacher can cook!" replied the house-elf indignantly. "Kreacher's head wouldn't be worthy of hanging on the wall if Kreacher didn't know how to cook. Master never asked, and then said he didn't trust Kreacher, so Kreacher didn't bother."

Harry looked at Sirius's surprised expression and laughed. "He's got you there, Sirius." Turning back to Kreacher, he said, "Well then, Kreacher, I would appreciate it if you would make lunch today, so we can see what you can do. Nothing too fancy, just a good hearty meal for the three of us."

Kreacher was nodding until Harry said the word 'three', at which point his eyes got wide and he said quietly, "Kreacher cannot be making the same food for Kreacher as for Master, Kreacher is a house-elf!"

Harry shook his head, knowing this would be an uphill battle, but continued on. "Kreacher, when I lived with the Dursleys, they would always make me cook for them but never let me eat it unless there were scraps left over, and even then they sometimes didn't. I will never ask you to cook for me without also making enough for yourself as well."

Kreacher looked at Harry with wide eyes, then turned to Sirius and nervously whispered, "Master?"

Sirius looked at Harry questioningly, only to receive a steely glare in return. Realizing that this was something Harry wasn't going to give up on, he nodded and considered how to handle things before addressing the house-elf. "Kreacher, I want you to listen closely to your Master. From now on, anytime you are asked to make food for me or anyone else in any of my houses, I want you to feel free to make enough so that you can have some as well. You are not required to do so, but if you do I want you to take your portion first, before you serve it, so that there is always enough for you to have some. You may also make and reserve enough for any other house-elves working in my house at the time if they're interested. Do you understand my instructions?"

Kreacher stood there with his mouth hanging open and tears shining in his eyes. Despite his gruff demeanor, he still had feelings, and his bond with Sirius had also helped to change his attitude since he'd taken over as Head of House Black. Finally Kreacher nodded and whispered, "Thank you, Master," before popping away, presumably to keep his master from seeing him cry.

After Kreacher left Sirius looked back at Harry and asked, "Is that what you wanted? And I don't mean making him cry." The smile on Harry's face told Sirius everything he needed to know even before Harry nodded, his eyes looking remarkably similar to Kreacher's.

"Thank you, Sirius," he said, his voice choking up slightly. "I know he's not your favorite being in this house, but he's changed a lot, and I think that's partially because of you. Hopefully he'll come to appreciate it as much as I do."

Sirius smiled, then seemed to shift his attitude and said, "Well, enough of that mushy stuff, who sent you a letter and how'd they give it to Hedwig?"

Harry blinked, then wiped his eyes and looked at the letter. "It's from the Crown Wizard's office," he said, "She must have somehow known they had something to send me. I wonder what they want?"

"Well, don't just sit there, open it!" Sirius said impatiently, and Harry proceeded to do just that. He read it to himself, then passed it to Sirius.

 _23rd August, 1995_

 _Sir Harry,_

 _Her Majesty has asked me to invite you and your godfather for informal tea at Windsor Castle, either tomorrow or Wednesday afternoon. If neither of those days works for you, please reply with your schedule for the remainder of your time before you return to Hogwarts, as Her Majesty would like to meet with you once more_ _before you do. I do not know the exact reason she wishes to meet with you, but she stressed that this is to be an informal meeting and you need not worry about anything._

 _Please send your reply as soon as possible so that Her Majesty can finalize her schedule, at which point I will send word on how to best get here._

 _Sincerely,_

 _(signed) Charles Adlington  
Chief Wizard to Her Majesty the Queen_

Sirius looked at Harry and said, "I don't think we've got anything planned for either day. Want to have tea with the Queen tomorrow?"

Harry nodded, then picked up a quill from the table and began writing his reply. As he finished, Hedwig flew back to him and perched on his shoulder, nibbling on his ear. He sealed the letter then tied it to her leg before stroking her feathers a few times. "Thanks Hedwig, you're the best."

"Hoot!" she replied, then preened for a few seconds before taking off to deliver the letter.

"Y'know," said Sirius as he stood to clear his plate, "I do believe your owl is rather full of herself."

Harry just chuckled before joining Sirius in cleaning up.

* * *

Charles Adlington was not a man prone to worrying or nervousness. He'd spent over forty years in service to the Queen, the last thirteen of them as her personal Chief Wizard, and in that time he'd learned how to remain calm and collected no matter what was going on. Still, he couldn't help but be a little nervous as he stood in front of the door to the Department of Mysteries, waiting to enter it for the very first time.

Just after he'd received his reply from Harry Potter about having tea with the Queen, he'd received a message from Croaker asking him to come to his office for a meeting at his earliest convenience. Knowing that the Queen wanted to get an answer to the question of whether Voldemort had made one or more Horcruxes as soon as possible, he'd headed to the Ministry immediately to find out what Croaker had learned. He was sure there was nothing to worry about, feeling confident that with the fulfillment of the prophecy that Voldemort was truly dead, but there was always the possibility of something else going on that nobody had thought of.

After a moment, the door opened and Croaker greeted him. "Mister Adlington, thank you for coming. Please, follow me to my office." The trip was short, and the Chief Wizard felt like there were things he wasn't seeing, possibly because he was being escorted by Croaker, and he presently found himself in a small, but comfortably appointed office. Croaker offered him something to drink, which he declined, then they both sat and got down to business.

"I've reviewed the diary," said Croaker, jumping straight in, "along with interviewing both the victim Miss Weasley, as well as Mister Potter. Based on what I learned, I'm confident that it was not a Horcrux."

The Chief Wizard let out a small sigh of relief, though he knew it didn't mean that Voldemort hadn't actually made one later. "Do you know what it was?" he asked.

"Yes and no," replied Croaker. "I'm pretty sure I know what it did and how it worked from the big picture, but not how it was made or many of the details. In fact, I've never seen or found anything in my research quite like it. As you recall, a Horcrux holds a piece of the soul, which could theoretically be used to take over another body. This," he held up the diary, "was almost the exact opposite.

"After checking it for various residual traces, I found no indication that there was ever a soul directly attached to it, though it was used as a temporary repository for one. Based on the memories of Miss Ginny Weasley, it became clear that while the diary contained some sort of consciousness that interacted with her, the one thing it lacked was a soul, which it was slowly leeching as she wrote more and more in the diary. I also reviewed the memory of Harry Potter from his encounter with the construct of Tom Marvolo Riddle when he ultimately destroyed the diary, and from that came to a rather astonishing conclusion.

"Somehow, a young Tom Riddle found a way to place a complete copy of his consciousness inside the diary, along with a mechanism to trap and ultimately absorb the soul of whoever wrote in it. Perhaps he was trying to make a Horcrux and failed, but we'll never know. As it absorbed Miss Weasley's soul, it gained control over the her Magic, as well as partial control over her body. But once the soul was mostly absorbed it was able to create a new body for that soul using Magic, and ultimately would have left Miss Weasley's body a decayed husk, similar to a victim of the Dementor's Kiss, once the absorption was complete. However, the diary itself was required as a focus of this process, and since it was destroyed before the process completed the soul was able to return to its natural body once control was lost. At least that's what I think happened; as I said, I've never seen anything quite like it before."

"Could there be more of these diaries out there?" asked the Chief Wizard.

Croaker shrugged. "It's possible, though I don't know how likely it is. Assuming I'm right about the process, it's rather tenuous until it finally completes itself, and rather easy to disrupt even by accident. I was told that Miss Weasley attempted to get rid of the diary, and only retrieved it back because she was embarrassed about Mister Potter, who had found it, possibly reading what she'd written. Had she not retrieved it, I believe the process would have been reversed rather quickly once the control over the victim had been broken. For better and for worse, there are much more reliable methods of cheating death out there, though I suspect most of them are much more unpleasant than this one."

The Chief Wizard shuddered at that thought, though he knew it was Croaker's job to know about these things. "Well let's hope that Voldemort didn't use any of them," he said.

"Yes, let's hope indeed," replied Croaker, nodding. "Fortunately, as far as I can tell, whatever happened previously when his body was destroyed did not happen this time, and Voldemort is deader than a doornail. But either way, the diary was not a Horcrux, and so we have no evidence that he created any, let alone others. Do you want to tell Dumbledore, or are you going to make me do it?" This last was said with a slight smile, indicating that he wouldn't mind doing it at all.

"I believe I will leave it up to Her Majesty to make that decision, since it was she whom he told about them in the first place. Thank you for your efforts, Mister Croaker, I'm sure Her Majesty will be relieved to hear that this situation is in all likelihood behind us now." The Chief Wizard moved to stand, but Croaker waved him back down into his seat.

"There's one other matter I wanted to ask you about," said the Unspeakable, his expression turning a little more serious. "Are you, and more importantly is Her Majesty, aware of the Title she has granted to Mister Potter?"

The Chief Wizard looked confused. "I know she named him Sir Harry when she appointed him Knight Commander of the Victorian Order, but I'm guessing you're referring to something else."

Croaker sighed, though he was smiling slightly. "During that first meeting with the Queen, she referred to Sir Harry as one of her personal Knights. I also found out that when Dolores Umbridge attempted to curse the Queen in the Wizengamot chambers, he was apparently able to cast _Expelliarmus_ and disarm her despite your having locked down the wards to prevent all spells from being cast. Is that correct?"

The Chief Wizard thought for a moment and then his eyes went wide before he nodded. "But that would mean..." he began before trailing off.

"Yes," replied Croaker, "I see you understand the implications now. She not only granted him the mundane title granted to any knight, she specifically named him one of her personal Magical Knights. Whether or not he ever uses the power granted to him again, unless she revokes it he will always have the authority, and the responsibility, to act in the name of the Queen. This holds true for both his general behavior, which may reflect on Her Majesty, and for any actions he takes in response to anyone acting against Her Majesty's interests."

"Wow," said the Chief Wizard, who then let out a big sigh. "As if he didn't have enough piled on him already."

Croaker gave another shrug, then said, "As I said, he may never use that power again, but I believe he should probably be made aware of it even if he'd rather not know. In any event, Her Majesty clearly needs to be told, so that she can make the decision as to whether or not to tell him. If only so that she can be aware of what may happen in the future."

"Yes, of course," replied the Chief Wizard, his mind reeling at this information. "I'm fairly certain that she hasn't fully recognized the significance of what she did, though she may have an inkling of it. It's rare that I've been able to catch her totally unawares."

Croaker nodded, having gotten that impression from his meeting as well. "Thank you for coming, and good luck with informing Her Majesty."

"Thank you," said the Chief Wizard, standing. Croaker stood as well, and led him out of the Department of Mysteries. Once back at the lifts, the Chief Wizard hurried back to the Crown Ambassador's office, and Floo'd from there to the Palace to speak to the Queen as soon as possible.

* * *

Two hours later the Chief Wizard sat in the Queen's private study as she considered what he'd told her. True to his word she hadn't been caught totally unawares, though she hadn't fully understood the significance of what she'd done until he explained it to her. After a moment, she nodded and looked at him saying, "Thank you, Charles, and please relay my thanks to Mister Croaker for ensuring I knew about this. Have you received a reply from Sir Harry about coming to tea?"

"Yes, Ma'am," replied the Chief Wizard. "He and Mister Black will be coming tomorrow. I still need to send him instructions on how to get here, but this issue was more pressing."

The Queen nodded and said, "Yes, of course. I will have to speak to him about this as well as my original topics when he arrives. I think, at least for the moment, that this information should be kept confidential so as not to apply any outside pressure to Sir Harry. I know this will be just one more thing for him to deal with, but he has shown much grace in dealing with everything so far, and it would be unfair to withhold this knowledge from him and have it catch him later unawares. I will not ask you to join us, but please plan to speak to him after tea tomorrow in case he has any questions about this situation."

"Of course, Your Majesty," said the Chief Wizard, who hadn't expected anything less. "I am at your disposal, as always."

The Queen gave him a slight smile and nodded. "Thank you Charles, I appreciate your flexibility. I'll let you attend to your other duties, unless there's anything else to discuss?"

Recognizing the dismissal, he stood and bowed, saying, "No, Ma'am. I'll bring Sir Harry and Mister Black for tea tomorrow afternoon."

The Queen acknowledged him and turned to the papers on her desk, knowing he could let himself out. Tea tomorrow would be interesting, to say the least.


	33. Oh Oh the Summer Knights

_Originally Posted 8/5/16, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 33: Oh Oh the Summer Knights**

Harry and Sirius decided to make a day of visiting Windsor, and also used it as an opportunity for Sirius to spend some time in the non-Magical world. They declined the Chief Wizard's offer of a Portkey and instead took the tube to Paddington station, where they took the train to Windsor. Both of them marveled how it was so much like the Hogwarts Express, yet so different at the same time.

They spent several hours wandering around Windsor, and even took the palace tour, enjoying an opportunity to see all the history and experience things from the 'outside', as it were. The afternoon was spent just enjoying the time outside and continuing to build the bond between them as they talked about everything and nothing at the same time, just learning how to be father and son. Finally, as four o'clock approached, they made their way to the address the Chief Wizard had given them as a rendezvous point.

Knocking on the door, they were admitted by one of the members of the Crown Wizard's office they'd seen in passing, but hadn't actually met before. She introduced herself as Amanda Cooper, and informed them that the Chief Wizard would be arriving shortly to take them to the castle.

A moment later he did so, walking in from the next room. "Sir Harry, Mister Black, a pleasure to see you again," he said, extending a hand to them.

"Likewise," replied Sirius, who shook his hand before stepping aside for Harry to do the same.

"Did you enjoy your day out?" asked the Chief Wizard once pleasantries were dealt with.

"Very much," said Harry, and Sirius nodded in agreement. "It was nice to see a bit more of this castle than the small area we had been restricted to at Buckingham."

"I'm sure. The history of Windsor is quite fascinating." Checking his watch the Chief Wizard added, "However, we don't want to keep Her Majesty waiting, so if you'll please grab on?" He extended a small piece of rope, which Harry and Sirius assumed was a Portkey. They did so, and Harry felt the now familiar, if unpleasant, sensation of being whisked away by Portkey.

It was a very short trip, which everyone was thankful for, and they found themselves back inside Windsor castle, albeit in a location they had not seen earlier in the day. After giving everyone a moment to recover, the Chief Wizard said, "This way, please," and led them further into the castle.

* * *

"Sir Harry, Mister Black, thank you for coming," said the Queen after they had been formally introduced. "Charles, I'll send word when we're done, but I'd like to speak to them in private."

The Chief Wizard nodded and said, "As you wish, Ma'am," before excusing himself. He wasn't worried about leaving the Queen alone with two wizards; Sirius's wand had been locked up before they were taken to the Queen, and Sir Harry had, albeit unknown to him yet, been granted at least as much authority to defend the Queen as he had. " _I just hope he takes the news of this responsibility as well as he took the last one,_ " he thought as he returned to his office.

* * *

After the Chief Wizard left, the Queen sat at a small table laden with what was probably the most extravagant tea Harry and Sirius had ever seen, yet was deemed informal by royal standards. She motioned for them to join her, and they made small-talk for a few moments as the tea was poured before the stewards retreated.

"Thank you again for coming," she said, "I have several things I wish to speak to you about, but felt that an informal setting would be best. But before we get to them, how are you doing, especially you, Sir Harry?"

Harry and Sirius looked at each other briefly, astonished that the Queen was so concerned about them that she invited them to tea to ask. It was clear from her tone, as well as the informal styling of her speech, that she was speaking as herself, and not the Royal Personage. Harry looked back at her and replied, "I'm doing OK, Ma'am, thank you. I still worry about the future, and occasionally worry if I made the right choices, but overall I feel like I did the right thing."

"I'm glad," said the Queen. "You were placed in a very difficult situation for anyone to handle, let alone one as young as you, and if I may say so I believe you handled yourself and the situation as well as could be expected of anyone."

"Thank you, Ma'am," said Harry, blushing slightly.

"And thank you, Ma'am, for helping both myself and my son," said Sirius. He and Harry were still getting used to using that word, but after the Magical adoption was complete calling Harry his godson had started feeling awkward, and after discussing it they agreed to see how it felt to just call Harry his son.

The Queen smiled at Sirius calling Harry his son, and said, "I see you're taking your parental responsibilities seriously, and I approve."

Both Harry and Sirius smiled at that comment, but it was Harry who responded. "I'm not sure I'll ever really call him my dad, but in every way that matters he really is my father now. So thank you again for making that possible."

"You're most welcome, young man, and I think that's as good a segue as I'm likely to get into the first topic I wanted to speak to you about." She shifted slightly in her seat, her bearing becoming more businesslike before she continued. "Sir Harry, after hearing about your previous home life from you, as well as having someone take a brief look in on your home, we are convinced that your previous guardians at the very least skirted the laws regarding child welfare, if not breaking them altogether. While we understand that you do not wish to return to that part of your life, the abuse of children is not something we are wiling to tolerate under any circumstances. Therefore, we intend to have your aunt and uncle thoroughly investigated and charged with anything that is found to be amiss."

Harry froze, an unreadable look on his face. On one hand he was happy to hear that something might happen to the Dursleys to punish them for their treatment of him, but on the other hand he really didn't want to have anything to do with them anymore, and this was likely to drag him into things. Finally he responded, "I, I'm not sure what to say to that. I'd really rather not have to deal with them again, if that's possible."

Sirius put a hand on his shoulder and said, "You won't, Harry, I'll make sure of it." He turned to the Queen and said, "While I don't know exactly how the non-Magical world deals with this kind of thing, I don't want my son getting dragged into it under any circumstances. He's just gotten free of them, and he doesn't need to go back there again."

The Queen nodded, privately smiling at Sirius's defense of his now son. "Then that is what we will try to ensure, if at all possible. While we cannot guarantee it, we will do our best to see that it happens." Both Harry and Sirius nodded in thanks, and the Queen softened her expression before she continued. "Sir Harry, I know you indicated that you didn't really get along with your cousin, but you also said things had improved a little recently. Perhaps, as a gesture of goodwill, you would consider writing him and giving him a way of contacting you in the future?"

Harry's head snapped back at her in surprise, and before he could really think he blurted out, "There's no way I'm telling Dudley where I'm living now, he'd just tell his parents!"

Sirius's hand returned to Harry's shoulder to try and calm him down, while the Queen nodded in understanding. "I understand, and completely agree. However, you have several other options, where he could send you a letter to be forwarded to you. My first suggestion would be to use the Royal Victorian Order; letters addressed to your name can be sent to the secretary of the order, who can then forward them on to you. You just need to make sure they have your proper contact information, something we can rectify once your father has an appropriate address. Alternately any letters could then be forwarded to the Crown Wizards' office, who could have them delivered to you. Or, if you'd prefer something else, I'm sure we could arrange for something."

Harry considered it for a moment, then realized that this was an opportunity to both try and keep some sort of connection with the last of his blood family, as well as giving his uncle and especially his aunt a nice going-away present, Marauder style. Nodding, he said, "I take it you're offering to have it delivered as well?"

The Queen nodded. "If you'd like, I can have it delivered shortly before the investigators arrive to search your relatives' house. I believe that next Saturday morning will be the most inconvenient time for them to deal with this whole situation. Plus, I believe you'll already be off to school for the year, so they won't be able to contact you even if they wanted to."

The slightly malicious smirk on her face was infectious, and both Harry and Sirius mirrored it before they all chuckled softly. Thinking that the Queen really did understand where he was coming from, Harry had to agree that the day Dudley was set to go to Smeltings Academy really would be the most inconvenient time for his aunt and uncle. "What about Dudley?" asked Harry after he realized it would most likely mean nobody would be able to take him to school.

"I'll make sure someone is aware of his school situation and they'll figure out what to do with him. But I think this lesson is one that would best be delivered to the whole family, would it not?"

Harry considered for a moment before agreeing that yes it would. "Alright, let's do that. If I write a letter and send it here, can the Crown Wizards' office have it delivered to Dudley that morning?"

"Yes. Please have him send any letters to you to the Secretary of the Royal Victorian Order, Buckingham Palace. I will have them redirect anything to the Crown Wizards' Office for now, until you provide them with an alternate address."

Harry nodded, and the Queen gave him a moment before shifting back to her more formal mien. "Now, Sir Harry, on to the next order of business which concerns your schooling. As you know, we spoke to your Headmaster last week, and there will be a number of changes made to your school. A few of them should be immediate, while others will happen either over the course of the school year or in the coming years. For starters, there will be several observers placed in the school to both investigate how well things are currently being done, as well as reporting back to us as to whether or not our required changes are being properly implemented. Also, while most of these changes don't affect you directly, there is one that we wish you to be aware of right away.

"Unless it directly pertains to something involving yourself and your involvement in the school, the Headmaster is not permitted to speak to you, or even inform you of the matter, without at least your father's consent in writing. Mister Black, should you wish to be present when the Headmaster speaks with your son, that is absolutely your right. We have informed him that if you request to be present and he is unwilling to do so, he may not speak to your son at all. Hopefully this will prevent him from overstepping his bounds with regards to Sir Harry's life. Obviously, anything specifically school-related is exempt from these requirements, and they fall under his legitimate authority as the Headmaster. But if you feel that the Headmaster has overstepped those boundaries, please do let us know."

"Thank you," said both Harry and Sirius, who grinned at each other afterwards. "As long as it's school-related, I won't have a problem with it," said Harry, and Sirius nodded his agreement.

"Good," said the Queen, relaxing once more, "I think that's all that needs to be said about that. Now, there is one final thing to discuss and I must apologize to you, Sir Harry, for doing something by accident, though I do not regret having done so. While I know this is supposed to be an informal tea, this last issue cannot be kept informal."

Harry gave the Queen a concerned look, while she took on her most formal bearing yet. "Apparently, when we knighted you, we did more than grant you membership in the Royal Victorian Order. We also named you our personal Magical Knight."

Sirius's eyes went wide as he realized what she must be saying, though Harry just looked confused.

"I don't understand, Ma'am," said Harry after a moment.

She smiled at him softly before answering. "It means that not only did we give you a knighthood in title, but we gave you one in fact. Do you remember when you came to our defense in the Wizengamot chamber and disarmed that awful woman, Umbridge? The Chief Wizard had already locked down the wards in the chamber, and nobody but him should have been able to use any Magic at all. Yet you were able to disarm her despite that restriction."

Harry gaped at that revelation, wondering how he'd done that while still not entirely understanding the implications. "But, how?"

"Mister Croaker believes, and our Chief Wizard agrees, that by knighting you with your wand, and by granting you the right to carry it in our presence, that we Magically placed you in our personal service. Therefore the wards of the chamber, which were also controlled by someone in our personal service, recognized that you were allowed to use Magic to defend us. It also means several rather important things you will need to keep in mind going forward.

"First and foremost, unless and until we rescind your position, you are able to act as our Magical representative in any matters that do not require our direct intervention or oversight. While we do not expect you to act in this manner, we do want you to consider your authority should you find yourself in a position to potentially do so. However, if you wish to act in an official manner, you must clearly state you are doing so, as well as reporting it to the Crown Wizards' office as soon as possible to ensure that nothing further needs to be done regarding your actions."

Harry's jaw dropped again, falling even further if that was possible. The Queen had granted him that level of authority, and by accident? He wasn't sure this was such a good idea, and said so. "I'm humbled by your generosity, Ma'am, but are you sure giving me that much power is a good idea?"

The Queen looked at him thoughtfully, then gave a little smile as she relaxed. "Your response tells me that I made a good choice, even if I didn't realize I was doing it at the time. Your reticence to use the power I granted you is a sign you will use it wisely and not frivolously. I am not asking you to use it often, if ever. I merely ask that you remember that you have it, and should you see a situation where there is no better way to resolve it that you're not afraid of using it. It is my sincere hope that you don't have to use it, but I would be foolish to take it away from someone whose judgment has proven to be sound, at least until the current situation has stabilized."

Harry considered it for a moment, then sighed. "I think I understand, Ma'am, it just feels like something else to have to deal with."

"I understand, Sir Harry, which is why I've asked you to let it be for now, and will not be making any public announcement about it. Do not think about it, just know you can call on it should the situation ever require it."

Harry nodded. "Thank you, you said there were several things I needed to keep in mind?"

The Queen resumed her more formal attitude and replied, "Yes, there are. The next thing you need to understand is that everything you do can reflect on our reputation. This is perhaps even more important than the authority you have been granted, as it is not limited to when you exercise that authority. That's not to say that you cannot be the fifteen year-old boy that you are, just that you need to remember that any major negative actions will possibly reflect badly on us. Fortunately, I do not believe that you are likely to do anything that we need to worry about, though please do keep this in mind should you ever exercise the powers we just spoke about."

"I will," said Harry. He then looked at Sirius and asked, "What about him? Does he reflect on you as well since he's my father?"

"Perhaps, but again we would not dwell on it. Unless you do something sufficiently bad as to cause headlines, we do not think it will be an issue."

"Phew," said Sirius, making a big show of wiping his forehead. "Thank goodness for that!"

The Queen chuckled, while Harry just gave him a look.

"The last thing," she said, "is one that we hope will not come up often, but which you do need to keep in mind. Because of your position, should anyone say or do anything against our interests, you do have an obligation to not ignore it. While you are not necessarily required to take direct action immediately, failure to act in the interests of the crown will reflect badly on both yourself and us. Therefore we ask that you at the very least inform us of anything you see or hear that might warrant action on your part, even if you feel that taking direct action is not warranted. That way, we can ensure that action is taken should it be required. Will you do this for us, Sir Harry?"

This time Harry didn't have to think about it for more than a couple seconds, and he replied, "Of course, Ma'am." He didn't think he could just ignore anything he saw or heard that was against the Queen, and was glad he had a way of dealing with it without having to intervene directly.

"Very well," she said. "And you, Mister Black, do you have any questions about your son's responsibilities?"

Sirius considered the question for a moment, then answered, "Just one, Ma'am. When Harry returns to school, there are likely to be many children of families who have been negatively affected by his actions and the subsequent results. Given that he holds status as one of your official representatives, how do you expect him to handle any issues that arise from dealing with these children?"

"An astute question," replied the Queen, nodding at him. "We, for one, do not expect him to handle them at all. The Headmaster has been told, and has promised to instruct the rest of the staff, that bullying and other inappropriate behavior by anyone in the school, be it student, staff or someone else, is not to be tolerated. While we are certain that Sir Harry will defend himself if needed, we also expect that the faculty and staff will work to prevent that need from arising. What we do ask is that you, Sir Harry, do what you can to assist those who are willing to accept the changes but are having difficulties with them. Anyone who can be turned into at least a neutral party, if not an ally, should be assisted whenever possible to keep them from becoming a problem later."

"Fair enough," said Sirius. He then asked Harry, "Sound reasonable to you?"

"If someone really wants to change and asks me for help, sure. But I'm still going to be wary of them until they've demonstrated they can be trusted."

The Queen couldn't argue with that, and said so. She then explained the new rules she had insisted Dumbledore implement regarding discipline, especially bringing in Aurors to investigate anything that escalated beyond simple confrontations, and both Harry and Sirius agreed that it was probably a good idea. Finally, as their time together wound down, she made one final request. "Sir Harry, we have only one other thing to ask of you, though this is more for yourself than it is for us. You have demonstrated to us that you have a good soul, and that you are a good judge of what is right and just. We ask that you keep fighting injustice where you see it, whether in your school or anywhere else. Do not shy away from it, though you may have to pick and choose your battles, but always fight for what is right. Even if you do nothing else, if you do that you will not just meet but exceed any definition of a good life."

"I will, I promise," said Harry, slightly overwhelmed by her words.

The Queen pushed a button and a steward entered bowing. "Please inform Minster Adlington that our guests are ready to depart," she said. The steward bowed again, then departed to carry out the request.

The Queen dropped her formal bearing and stood, prompting Harry and Sirius to do so as well. "Thank you again for coming. I know this was perhaps a bit more than you expected, but I was honestly unaware of the Magical Knight issue until after the invitation had already been sent. Mostly I just wanted to get to know you without the whole situation in the Magical world hanging over our heads, and I feel that I have."

Her face shifted slightly, and Harry immediately sensed her becoming more formal again. "While we do not expect we will meet again often, nor do we anticipate needing either of your direct service in the future, we hope you will not be afraid to contact us again should you find yourselves in another difficult position like before. It is not often that we find the time or circumstances to interact directly with people who are just our subjects, but we relish the opportunity when it arises. We hope you have enjoyed our tea as much as we have, and wish you well on your journey home."

Harry and Sirius bowed to the Queen and replied, "Thank you, Ma'am", as the Chief Wizard entered the room.

They all turned to face him, and the Queen said, "Thank you, Charles, your timing is excellent as usual. Please see that Sir Harry and Mister Black reach their destination safely, and we will see you at our next scheduled meeting."

"Of course, Your Majesty," replied the Chief Wizard, before leading Harry and Sirius out of the room and back the way they had come.

* * *

After retrieving his wand, Sirius, along with Harry and the Chief Wizard, Portkeyed back to the house they had originally come from. When they arrived, the Chief Wizard asked if they could stay for a few minutes to discuss some things from their meeting with the Queen. After they agreed, the Chief Wizard led them into another room where they all could sit on comfortable couches.

"Just to check my assumptions, did Her Majesty talk to you about your Magical Knighthood?" asked the Chief Wizard.

Sirius looked concerned, but decided to wait and see what else there was to learn. Harry nodded, but didn't say anything.

"I take it you're not too comfortable with it, Sir Harry?"

"No, sir," he replied. In reality he wasn't even sure he completely understood it, but he knew enough to realize that it could end up being very complicated if he wasn't careful.

"Perhaps I can help. First of all, unless you say something about it, the fact that you hold this position will not be mentioned to anyone. Should someone make an inquiry to our office we will have to acknowledge it, of course, but other than that we have no plans to inform anyone. In this way you can remain unknown until the time and place of your choosing. Of course, I can see from the look on your face that you doubt this will last very long."

Harry realized that the Chief Wizard was right; he was feeling rather doubtful that he'd be able to keep it to himself very long, and realized it showed on his face. "Given the way certain people have acted towards or around me in the past, I find it very unlikely that I won't have to use my position fairly soon."

"Hmm," said the Chief Wizard, considering the situation. "I'm sorry to hear that, but perhaps you'll luck out and things will be different this year." Seeing the doubtful look on Harry's face, and Sirius's too for that matter, he added, "We can always hope, right?" This drew chuckles, and he was glad they could still laugh about the situation. "In any event, whether or not you use your authority is entirely up to you, but should you use it we will need to know about it as soon as possible. To expedite that process, I'd like to give you this." He held out a small jewelry box, which Harry took.

Opening the box, Harry saw it was a small necklace on a gold chain. "What is it?" he asked, as he took it out.

"It's a signaling necklace. If you need to contact us right away, just press your wand to it and say, 'God Save the Queen.' When you do, my office will be notified immediately, as well as being able to use the necklace as a homing signal to find you quickly. You can also use it in the event of any sort of emergency where you need help; just keep your wand on the pendant after the activation phrase and anything you say afterwards will be transmitted to the watch desk. They won't be able to communicate back to you, but they'll be able to hear whatever is going on around you as well."

"That's pretty useful," said Sirius, "I wonder why nobody in the Magical world ever thought about doing something like that?"

"It's actually based on a non-Magical device used to get emergency help for the elderly or other people who have physical disabilities. Except in their case they just have to push a button rather than using a wand. One word of advice, Harry," he looked half serious and half like he was trying to not laugh. "Whatever you do, don't ever use it and say the phrase, 'I've fallen and I can't get up,' or you'll never hear the end of it."

Both Harry and Sirius looked confused, but decided to let it go. "Thanks," said Harry, "I think this will make things a little easier. Will it still work inside Hogwarts?"

"It should, but if you could test it that would probably be a good idea. Just activate it and say that you're testing to make sure it works from inside Hogwarts. If it does, we'll send you an owl; if you haven't heard from us by the next day send us an owl to let us know it didn't work and we'll figure out something else."

"Okay, I'll do that." said Harry, putting the necklace on so he could get used to it. "Was there anything else?"

"Just one thing, but I cannot stress how important it is even if I don't want you to obsess over it."

"That's not really helping," observed Sirius, which Harry agreed to immediately.

"I know, but there's really no good way to say it otherwise. You need to remember that once your position becomes known, absolutely everything you do, and quite possibly everything you've ever done, will be scrutinized as something that could potentially be used against the Queen. That's not to say that anything will ever actually come of that scrutiny, or even that improper behavior on your part will actually impact Her Majesty in any significant manner, but it can, and there will be people out there who will try.

"I don't want this to make you look over your shoulder all the time, nor should you have to consider every possible ramification before you do anything, Sir Harry. You're still a teenager going to school, and we want you to be able to act like one. Just try to ensure that you consider things before taking any major steps that could be controversial, and be doubly careful of what you say or do should you invoke the authority Her Majesty has entrusted you with. Beyond that, it is my hope, and Her Majesty's, that you will be able to have a fairly normal life at least until you complete your schooling."

Harry nodded. "I understand," he said, "and I even don't have a problem with it, I just wish it was someone else who had to deal with it, not me."

The Chief Wizard nodded, then stood. He extended a hand to Harry and said, "You're a much wiser fifteen year-old than I ever was, Sir Harry, and it's been both a pleasure and an honor to work with you. Let me say that I hope that I only ever see you again on pleasant occasions, but even if not I look forward to seeing you again sometime."

Harry stood and shook his hand. "Thank you," he said, "I'll say the same thing for you. Thank you again for all of your help, especially when we first showed up and you treated us fairly despite Sirius's reputation."

Sirius, now also standing, agreed and said, "Yes, thank you. For everything." He shook hands with the Chief Wizard as well, who led them to the front door.

"Should you need anything," said the Chief Wizard, "Don't hesitate to send me either an owl or a letter by post. I can't promise we'll be able to help with everything, but my office can certainly try. Enjoy the rest of your day."

After thanking him one last time, Harry and Sirius left the house and finished their tour of Windsor. After taking the train back to London, they tried a curry restaurant for dinner which Harry enjoyed and Sirius thought was too spicy. They brought the leftovers home for Kreacher to try, and Harry had a good laugh when he not only enjoyed it greatly, but teased Sirius about his low spice tolerance and said he'd have to work on it when Harry was away.

* * *

The next day, Harry got a note from Ron saying that he'd finished his homework, and asking if Harry could come visit for a day or two. After talking it over with Sirius, he agreed to go to the Burrow the next day and would spend the night, coming back after dinner the following day. Sirius was also invited for dinner as a peace offering from Missus Weasley who had (barely) acknowledged the fact that he was right about her having taken over his home.

Time at the Burrow was unexpectedly relaxed, with everyone having fun and not having to worry about Voldemort or his followers for a change. Missus Weasley was also pleasantly relaxed and for once didn't make them do chores beyond normal daily tasks, which Harry didn't mind helping out with. The only dim spot in his visit was that Ginny had basically ignored him outside of mealtimes, but he understood it. Hermione had explained that Ginny was still unhappy about his rejection of her, and had confessed to the older girl that she was worried about making a scene and driving him away further.

Harry had wanted to say something, but couldn't figure out what to say that wouldn't also send signals that he didn't really mean. Hermione told him to just leave it and let her figure it out on her own, and not feeling like he had any friendships to lose he followed Hermione's advice and just let it go. It still felt weird hanging out at the Burrow and having Ginny ignore him, but at least she said goodbye when he and Sirius left Friday night to return to their home.

Harry and Sirius spent the weekend getting Harry's things organized for the term at Hogwarts, as well as discussing a few different areas Sirius was considering looking for houses. While doing so, Sirius decided he needed to learn how to drive a car, since that was how most people got around in the non-Magical world. While he had his motorcycle, it was a bit too noticeable for someone trying to keep a low profile, not to mention all the not-so-legal Magical enhancements on it.

The other thing Harry did was sit down and, with Sirius's support, wrote a letter to his cousin Dudley. After talking it over, he'd decided to play it straight with his cousin, and simply let the facts speak for themselves rather than being over the top about it. Even without showcasing his new status, he was pretty sure at least his aunt would recognize the name and device of the Royal Victorian Order, as well as the title before and initials after his name. While a small part of him wished he could be a fly on the wall when the letter was delivered, he had no desire to ever return to number 4 Privet Drive under any circumstances.

Ron and Hermione came over for the day on Monday, two days before the Express, and the three of them spent the day exploring non-Magical London. This was primarily to give Ron a taste of it, since he'd never really spent much time there, but they all had a lot of fun shopping and eating. Between Harry and Hermione they'd managed to keep him out of trouble, though there was an all-you-can-eat lunch buffet that was rather annoyed at him.

The day before the Express, Harry and Sirius had lunch with Tonks and her parents, Andromeda and Ted, who Harry had not yet met. After a brief teary-eyed reunion where Tonks's Mum had profusely thanked Sirius for his offer, they tabled the subject and just took time to get to know one another. Before they departed, Sirius agreed to have dinner at the elder Tonks's place later in the week to discuss undoing the process of disowning Andromeda, which was more complicated and involved than adopting a new member of the family.

For the rest of the day, Harry and Sirius just hung out enjoying each others' company, and even spent some time with Kreacher who had somehow become more endeared with Sirius the more he'd been willing to banter with his house-elf. Kreacher, in turn, made a going-away feast for Harry, and after some cajoling even sat with them to eat, though he insisted on serving everyone and doing anything anyone needed himself.

The day of the Express started early with a letter from the Chief Wizard informing Harry that most of the Death Eater trials had been held over the previous two days, along with the outcomes of said trials. The information was going to be given to the paper late that afternoon, so that it wouldn't appear until tomorrow's Prophet, but the Chief Wizard wanted Harry to know what was coming the first morning back at Hogwarts. After sharing the news with Sirius and the two of them having some breakfast with Kreacher, Harry and Sirius made their way to Platform 9 ¾ to meet the Express.

Not wanting to be mobbed, they had arrived early and gotten Harry's things into the very last compartment on the train before most of the crowd arrived. After stowing Harry's trunk, Sirius quickly taught him a minor alarm ward, which he could put up in the hallway to let him know if anyone approached. It wasn't anything fancy; it would just ring in his ears like a doorbell if anyone crossed it. While this wouldn't prevent people from looking for him, it would let him know they were coming just in case.

They said their goodbyes in the compartment and then Sirius went back to the platform to just watch the parents and children as they arrived. He wasn't expecting trouble, but he was going to stick around until the Express departed, just in case something happened. He also would direct Harry's friends to his compartment, assuming he saw them in time. The only thing of note that happened was the Weasleys arriving at the last minute as usual, and Sirius helped get them all on the train just as the whistle was blowing for final call. Ron joined Harry and Hermione stopped in to leave her trunk before heading for the prefects' meeting, while the twins and Ginny headed off to look for their friends. After they had left Harry put up the alarm ward and settled in for the long ride, wondering what he'd find when they reached their destination.


	34. Going Off the Rails on a Crazy Train

_Originally Posted 8/19/16, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Chapter 34: Going Off the Rails on a Crazy Train**

While Hermione went to the prefects' meeting, Ron and Harry played Exploding Snap and chatted about everything that had happened this summer. Harry had been offered the boy's prefect position for Gryffindor, but had respectfully declined and suggested Neville Longbottom instead. The reason he gave for turning down the honor was that between his ever-changing relationship with the majority of the student body, as well as his involvement with the massive changes that had recently befallen the Magical World, he wasn't sure he could reasonably be expected to enforce discipline without being an escalating influence rather than a calming one. After a brief Floo call with Professor McGonagall, she had accepted both his refusal and his suggestion, offering the position to a surprised and grateful Neville Longbottom.

When Hermione returned to the compartment after the meeting, to say that she was unhappy would have been an understatement. While most of the prefects had been decent people, both Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson had been selected, which they all agreed was going to lead to trouble. Unfortunately there was nothing they could do about it, so after calming her down Harry distracted her by asking who she thought would be teaching Potions this year.

As it turned out, Hermione's disgruntled return to the compartment was a harbinger of things to come.

* * *

Draco Malfoy stalked through the corridors of the Hogwarts Express with a single purpose: find Harry Potter and make him pay. He wasn't really sure how he was going to do that, since he didn't really know what he would be able to accomplish all by himself, but his unrelenting rage had blinded him to the realities of the situation, and so here he was stalking through the train as it rumbled towards Hogwarts. It didn't help that he was alone; before he had even boarded the train, both Crabbe and Goyle had told him that he was on his own this year. Their mothers hadn't wanted to take any chances of something happening to them now that their husbands were gone.

He'd started at the very front of the train, where he'd been for the Prefects' meeting, and was rapidly running out of cars. Finally, in the very last compartment of the very last carriage, he found his target, Scarhead, sitting with his friends the Mudblood and the Weasel. He belatedly realized he could have simply followed her back here, since she was also a prefect, but was too angry to think clearly. He should have stopped to think about how his actions might affect his prefect status, but instead he steeled himself for the attack and drew his wand before quickly striding to the door and slamming it open, intent on making an entrance that caught them off guard.

* * *

Not wanting to be disturbed too much, Harry had set up Sirius's detection ward in the corridor just this side of the entrance to the next compartment over, ensuring that he'd have a few seconds warning if anyone walked all the way to the back of the train where they were located. Several people had already stopped by, but fortunately for him they had all been either looking for someone else or just wanted to say hi. This time, however, he saw Draco Malfoy out of the corner of his eye when the ward went off, and so he'd readied his wand for the expected confrontation.

True to form, Draco came bursting into the compartment, though, Harry noticed, he didn't have Crabbe and Goyle with him for once. He did have his wand out however, making Harry glad that he was prepared. Before Draco could get a word out, Harry cast " _Silencio,_ " stopping whatever Draco was going to say or do in his tracks. The blond boy was clearly furious now, and continued to advance despite his silence, causing Harry to cast a Leg-Locker Curse followed by " _Incarcerous_ " as Draco started to fall over.

Once Draco had fallen on his face, Harry hauled him up and shoved him against the wall next to the door, casually taking his opponent's wand and pocketing it in the process. "What do you want, Malfoy?" he asked in a not-so-friendly tone. Draco opened his mouth but nothing came out. Harry gave him a less than friendly smile and said, "I'll let you talk, but if I don't like what I'm hearing I'll just silence you again, got it?"

Draco nodded, and Harry canceled the spell on him. "What do you think you're doing, Potter?" he asked. "When my father..."

Harry didn't even let him finish the sentence and silenced him again. "Listen up Malfoy, your father is irrelevant. By this time tomorrow you'll be reading about his trial and sentence. Now, I'm going to give you one more opportunity to talk, but before I do consider this." He waved his wand and the back door of the carriage opened, revealing the countryside rolling by. "Choose your words carefully. If you really piss me off, I can just let you off the train right here and now, understand?"

Draco nodded, not wanting to risk the chance that Potter was serious. He'd never shown this kind of ruthlessness before, but then again he'd apparently done some pretty unusual things at the Ministry the day his father had been arrested. Once the silencing spell was canceled, he thought for a moment before speaking. "I don't know who you think you are, or what you've done, but my father is a great man, and I'm sure he'll soon be returning to our family home. Now, I want you to tell me what you did to him and then help me fix it."

Harry stared at Draco for a moment, then burst our laughing, much to his nemesis' surprise. "You're taking the mickey out of me, right?" Seeing Draco's serious face, he shook his head. "First of all, I didn't do anything to your father; from what I understand, he picked a fight with someone he knew nothing about and lost. Second, even if I could do something about it, there's no way I would do anything to help your father out no matter what you offered me. He's an evil monster and I'm quite glad that he'll never be able to hurt anyone again."

"My father is a great man!" repeated Draco forcefully, "and if it wasn't for you and that stupid Muggle queen he'd be at the Dark Lord's side putting you and all your Muggle-loving friends in their place!" Seeing the expression on Potter's face darken, he realized too late that he had stepped over the line, but even so was unprepared for the force behind Potter's response.

"Your father is NOTHING!" bellowed Harry, the force of his words almost making Draco's hair blow back. "He's a vile, manipulating murderer who has shown a willingness to do anything to grab power for himself. I was there when he was interrogated, and anyone who would do even half the things he did deserves much worse than he got. You should be relieved that all that will happen to him is death by hanging."

Harry waved his wand and closed the back door to the carriage. He then took Draco's wand and threw it down to the other end of the hallway before turning back to the spluttering blond ponce. "Let me make myself perfectly clear, Draco. I am going to let you walk away this one time; if you try something against me or my friends again I will destroy you. And if I ever hear you insult the Queen again, they'll never find all of the pieces of you. Do I make myself clear?"

Draco couldn't help himself when he replied, "You and what army, Potter?"

Harry's eyes narrowed, and his hair started to crackle with accidental Magic as he struggled to control his temper. "I don't need one. I am Sir Harry James Potter, Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order and personal Knight to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the Second. I will permit you to push things up to a certain point, but if you ever cross that line, there won't be enough of you left to bury. Now begone, you nithling!" With that, he threw Draco out of the compartment and up against the rear door of the carriage, before casting " _Finite_ " as he slammed the compartment door closed. He then then cast " _Colloportus_ " on it, locking Draco out, before leaning up against the wall and taking a couple of deep breaths.

He took a moment to calm himself down before turning back to his friends who just stared at him in awe. "Something tells me that's not the last we've heard from him today," he said.

His friends just nodded for a moment as they watched Harry try to calm himself down before Hermione finally worked up the nerve to ask, "What do you mean, personal Knight to the Queen?"

Harry sighed, then cast an Imperturbable Charm on the door and windows before answering. "Before I answer, please don't talk about this to anyone, and I mean anyone at all, unless you check with me first. I didn't want anyone knowing about this at all, but Draco rather pissed me off. Hopefully he won't understand what I meant, and will just think I was bragging again, but in this case I'm not." It took a couple of hours to explain everything to his friends, by which time he was rather exhausted and looking forward to both the feast and getting some sleep.

* * *

Since they had been in the very last compartment of the train, Harry and his friends were some of the last people to enter the Great Hall before the first years were brought in. As he walked towards the Gryffindor table, he suddenly heard a yell of, "Potter!" and dropped to the ground, recognizing Draco's angry voice. Before he could do anything besides duck, he heard a call of, "Stupefy!" and as he turned his head he saw Draco fall to the ground, stunned.

Harry looked up to the staff table and saw several teachers standing, and Dumbledore's wand pointed at the now unconscious Slytherin. The Headmaster said something briefly to Professor Sinistra, who hurried down to where Malfoy was lying on the floor. She collected his wand, then levitated his body before returning to the staff table with it.

As she did so, the Headmaster spoke up and said, "Please, everyone take your seats so the first years can be brought in." Harry took one last look at the shocked faces at the Slytherin table before walking to the other side of the room and finding a seat with the Gryffindors.

A moment later Professor McGonagall entered leading the first years, unaware of the incident that had just occurred. As she picked up the rolled parchment with the first year students' names on it, she was interrupted by the Headmaster who said, "Excuse me, Professor McGonagall, but before the first years are sorted we must deal with another matter that occurred just before you arrived."

Professor McGonagall looked at the Headmaster questioningly, as the sorting had never been interrupted before that she'd seen, but he just nodded. As she was turning back to the first years, she noticed the confused looks on many of the Slytherin students' faces, as well as a rather serious one on one of the Queen's "observers" that had been stationed at the school to ensure that there weren't any major problems at the start of the year. It was then that she realized that something must have happened, and turned back towards the staff table just in time to see Professor Sinistra levitate Draco Malfoy up in front of the Headmaster before handing him a wand, presumably that of the unconscious boy.

"Good Evening, students, and welcome to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" intoned the Headmaster, getting everyone's attention. "I know that you're all eagerly awaiting the sorting of the first years followed by dinner, but before we get to that we must deal with the disciplinary issue that occurred just before the new students arrived. I know this is highly unusual, but there are several new rules this year that you will be informed of tonight and tomorrow, as well as a number of old rules that have not been enforced in recent years that are no longer going to be ignored.

"As many of you saw, Mister Malfoy here attempted to curse another student, Mister Potter, who had just entered the Great Hall for the opening feast. While normally I would have simply requested that he stop what he was doing, given recent events involving Mister Potter, as well as prior incidents involving Mister Malfoy, I felt that more drastic action was needed to prevent any further hostilities. I want you all to listen very carefully to Mister Malfoy's punishment and know that you will be subject to the same should you disobey the rules as he has."

Dumbledore then looked down at Malfoy and quickly cast three spells in a row: " _Rennervate, Incarcerous, Silencio._ " He then levitated Draco so that he was standing up, looking out at the whole of the Great Hall before coming around the table to stand next to him. "Mister Malfoy," he said, watching as Draco turned his head towards him. "You attempted to curse Mister Potter here in the Great Hall this evening with no provocation nor justification. Do you have anything to say in your defense?"

Draco opened his mouth to respond, not realizing that he had been silenced, before he noticed the stern look on the Headmaster's face. He stopped for a moment, then closed his mouth; between the loss of his father's influence and the protection of his former Head of House, he finally realized that there was nothing he could say that would likely get him out of this. So he shook his head and waited for the detentions he expected he would be assigned.

"Very well, Mister Malfoy. You have admitted attempting to attack another student in the Great Hall, with no valid justification. Since you have a previous history of aggressive behavior, especially regarding Mister Potter and his friends, your wand will be confiscated for the first three days of classes. Additionally, for the remainder of the first week of classes, it will only be returned to you during class periods that require wand work, and will be confiscated for the remainder of that time. Assuming you do not earn any additional punishments, your wand will be returned to you at the beginning of your first class period that requires wand work during the second week of classes. As a final punishment, your prefect status is suspended until you receive your wand back permanently, and your long term status as prefect will be on probation for the remainder of the term. Should you have your wand confiscated again, your prefect status will be revoked and given to a more worthy member of your house."

When the Headmaster announced that Draco's wand would be confiscated for most of the first week of school, there was a collective gasp from the student body, and Draco's face slowly drained of color as he realized what this meant. He tried to protest but no sound came out; after a moment he realized he'd also been silenced, and looked at Dumbledore with a mix of worry and annoyance.

Finally, the Headmaster looked at Draco and asked, "You wish to say something, Mister Malfoy?"

At Draco's nod, the Headmaster waved his wand, and Draco asked incredulously, "But how will I do my schoolwork without my wand?"

"That is a problem of your own making, Mister Malfoy," replied Dumbledore, who then turned to the students who were mostly staring in shock. "Students of Hogwarts, as I have been recently reminded, wands, while very useful, can also be used as dangerous weapons. Thus, anyone who is found to be using their wand inappropriately will quickly find themselves without one. For first time offenders, you may be given the opportunity to have it during class time where necessary, but second and subsequent offenses, as well as major first-time violations, will result in total loss of your wand for a period that is deemed appropriate to the offense. Should these punishments fail to curb the problem, additional measures, up to and including expulsion, will be considered. This goes for all students, in all years and houses. Exceptions may be made for spells cast in self-defense, but only if they are reasonable and not retaliatory.

"When you reach your dorms this evening, each and every one of you will find an updated handbook of school rules on your beds. While I do not expect you to read it cover to cover tonight, please make sure you read at least the first three pages, which will explain the most important rule changes, as well as listing several older rules that may not have been enforced consistently or fairly in the past. I have a few more announcements to make, but rather than make you listen on an empty stomach, I will delay them until after we have all eaten. Professor McGonagall, if you would please start sorting the first years?"

As Professor McGonagall turned to call the first years, the Headmaster leaned over and spoke quietly into Draco's ear. "I will release you to return to your table in a moment Mister Malfoy. When that happens, I would suggest you go sit down and think hard about what kind of year you wish to have. I know you were previously protected by Professor Snape, and while I may have turned a blind eye to your behavior before for my own reasons, that will no longer happen. You have the power to make your year a relatively good one, or a miserable one; as this is your O.W.L. year as well, I should think that you don't want to have to spend too many of your lessons without your wand. Now, run along back to your table." Dumbledore waved his wand and the ropes disappeared, allowing Draco to move again. He quickly turned away from the Headmaster and made his way back to the table, studiously ignoring the looks from the other students.

By the time dinner was over, and the Headmaster had explained some of the other important changes to Hogwarts, Draco was convinced that his life was going to be miserable no matter what he did. The temporary and possibly permanent loss of his prefect status just highlighted exactly how vulnerable he was now that the rules had changed so much. Still, unless something unexpected happened, he was stuck here at Hogwarts until he took, and passed, his O.W.L.s. Then he could at least leave school, if not transfer to another, assuming any would take him.

* * *

Seeing Draco get punished so harshly, and in full view of the entire student body no less, was a new and pleasant experience for Harry and his friends. Several Gryffindors congratulated him on getting Malfoy in so much trouble, but Harry politely redirected them and pointed out that he hadn't done anything except duck. After the sorting was finished and dinner had been eaten, the Headmaster had gotten up again to make a few more announcements before sending everyone off to bed.

"Now that we have all eaten that lovely meal, I would like to inform you of a few changes to the staff as well as reiterating several very important rules. First, as many of you know, Professor Snape is no longer available to teach. As a result, his predecessor, Professor Slughorn, has graciously agreed to return to Hogwarts as our Potions Master." The new Potions Master stood up and waved, revealing a portly balding older man with a walrus-looking mustache who Hermione thought looked a bit like a fat, old Hercule Poirot. "Additionally, Professor Sinistra has taken over as Head of Slytherin House," at which the aforementioned witch stood and acknowledged the Headmaster and students before sitting back down.

"Also, for at least the first half of the year, defense will be taught by Professor Kang, on loan to us from the Hong Kong Auror department." A short, stocky Asian fellow who could have been anywhere between thirty and fifty stood and gave a moderately deep bow to the Headmaster, followed by a much shallower one to the students. "Professor Kang has also offered to teach a martial arts class on the weekends, and will tell you more about it during your first class of the year.

"Finally, as you may have already noticed, we have a number of other people with us in the Great Hall this evening. At the request of Her Majesty the Queen, we have a number of observers who will be taking notes about all aspects of how Hogwarts is being run. Their goal is to learn more about how we do things here and help us to move forward as Magical Britain goes through the changes it is currently experiencing. While they may not be teaching classes, they have the same authority as the other Professors, and you are to respect them the same way. Also, should you have any suggestions you wish to make to them, please write them down and place them in the red box at the back of the great hall labeled, 'Suggestions.'" This last bit was clearly said with a slight hesitation, but only those who knew the Headmaster well could hear it.

As Dumbledore pointed out the suggestion box at the back of the Great Hall, Harry realized that this was one of the things that the Queen had warned him about. At their last meeting she'd mentioned that she would have people inside Hogwarts, at least for the beginning of the term, and that they would probably be at least somewhat at odds with the Headmaster. Still, the Headmaster appeared to be moving in the right direction, if his treatment of Draco was any indicator, so Harry decided to just go with things and hope for the best. Besides, maybe, for once, he could have a simple year without anything untoward happening to him.

But he wouldn't be holding his breath for that.

* * *

After Dumbledore announced the rules that people should remember from previous years (no casting spells in the halls, the Forbidden Forest is forbidden, Mister Filch's list of banned items, etc.), he had expanded slightly on the rules that Draco had found himself running afoul of before dismissing the students to their Common Rooms and bed. Harry had gone ahead when Ron decided to tag along with Hermione and Neville who were leading the first years, and found a quiet corner to look over the new handbook he had retrieved from his bed.

There, on the very first page, was proof that changes were happening here in Hogwarts. In bold letters at the top of the page was the following:

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is for everyone, regardless of blood, financial or any other status. Discrimination of any sort will not be tolerated, and anyone who violates this rule will face harsh punishment. If you feel you have been treated unfairly for any reason, please speak to your Head of House or any other Professor.**

On the first three pages, it clearly stated a number of behaviors that would not be tolerated, as well as possible punishments for them including the possibility of not only being expelled, but also having any attacks on others investigated by the Aurors. By the time the first years had arrived, the Common Room was filled with older students reading the new rules, and excitedly talking amongst themselves about the implications. Ron, Hermione and Neville came over after showing the first years their dorms, and asked him about the new rules.

"They're brilliant!" proclaimed Harry, despite his concerns about how well they'd actually be enforced. "Assuming they hold everyone to them, Malfoy might not only lose his prefect badge, but he could end up expelled or even arrested for attacking someone!"

"Blimey!" gasped Ron, and Harry handed Hermione the book before she could rip it from his hands.

Quickly reviewing the three pages, her eyes were wide as she handed it back to him. "I'm not sure, but I think they could even get in trouble for calling me a, a..." She trailed off, suddenly not wanting to use the word they all knew she was hinting at.

"Something tells me they're heading in that direction, but not putting it in writing just yet," replied Harry. "If the Queen wants to get rid of the word 'Muggle' in official documents, I doubt she'd permit a school to allow the use of that word either."

Ron furrowed his brow and asked, "But what will we use if we can't say 'Muggle'?" Seeing the concern on Hermione's face, he added, "I'm not objecting, I just don't know what else to call them."

Hermione nodded in understanding, then looked to Harry for an answer. "The Queen's been using non-Magical, and Sirius and I have been trying to use it as well. It's actually harder to replace 'Muggleborn' since 'non-Magicborn' just doesn't roll off the tongue as well, but I'm sure someone will come up with a better word at some point. In any case, we'll just have to see how things play out, right?"

"I guess," said Ron, shrugging. "Still, I'm just glad Malfoy had his prefect status suspended. Why they even made him one boggles me."

"Snape probably appointed him before things happened, and they never changed it," said Neville. "Speaking of which, thanks Harry. Professor McGonagall told me you recommended me for the position after turning it down."

"You turned down being a prefect?" asked Hermione and Ron together.

"You're welcome, mate," Harry said to Neville, giving him a smile. "I think you'll be good at it, and it'll be good for you too. And yeah, I did turn it down. After everything that's happened, being a prefect would just be asking for trouble. Since it seems to find me whether I go looking for it or not, I'd rather avoid the stuff I can predict."

Ron once again demonstrated his new-found maturity by not saying anything right away, but instead considering things alongside Harry's other friends. "I can see that," he said after a moment. "Still, it must've been nice to be asked to be one."

"Yeah, it was," answered Harry, "and if things had been different I might have taken it." He shrugged, then looked thoughtful.

"What is it, Harry?" asked Hermione after a few seconds.

Harry's face expanded into a big smile. "I just realized something. With the new emphasis on enforcing the rules, the Slytherins don't stand a chance at Quidditch this year. The Cup is ours for certain!"

Ron's eyes lit up and he pumped his fist in the air shouting, "Yes!"

Both Hermione and Neville rolled their eyes, but they were also smiling as they did so. "It's nice to know some things never change," she said, and the four of them shared a laugh before talking a bit about their summers before bedtime.

* * *

Harry sat on his bed in the fifth year boys' dorm and spent a few moments just looking around at his roommates. Ron was snoring away as usual, though thankfully muffled courtesy of an Imperturbable Charm on the closed curtains facing Harry's bed. The sound was still coming from around them, but it was quiet enough he could hear himself think. Neville and Dean were fast asleep, not making any noise, while Seamus muttered in his sleep, but not loud enough to bother anyone.

Harry had just finished talking to Sirius on a charmed mirror that had previously belonged to his father, James. Sirius had given it to him just before they left for the Express, so that they could keep in touch more directly than just sending letters via Hedwig or Kreacher. There hadn't been much to talk about since they'd last seen each other that morning, but Sirius was pleased with the apparent changes at Hogwarts, and told Harry to let him know if anything happened. Sirius also reminded him about the Dumbledore needing permission in writing to talk about anything not school-related, and Harry promised not to forget. But it was their goodbyes that kept floating around his head, making him smile even as he tucked himself in to go to sleep.

"Goodnight, Sirius," said Harry. "I'll call you in a few days once I've had all my classes."

"Sounds good, Harry," replied Sirius. "Goodnight, son."

As Harry was falling asleep he realized that as uncertain as things still were, he finally felt like he had what he wanted in life for now. A family who loved him, friends he could count on, and a whole world of Magic ahead of him to learn in without the threat of a madman hanging over his head. His last thought before consciousness left him for the night was, "Life is good."

THE END(ish?)

* * *

 **A/N:** If you're thinking to yourself, "That's it?" and you haven't read the author's note at the top, I suggest you go back and do so. It will answer that question and more...


	35. Epilogue 1: The Dursleys

_Originally Posted 8/26/16, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 ** **Disclaimer:**** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **A/N:** Just a quick note about the epilogues - they follow a roughly chronological order but are grouped more on people and/or events than exact times, and are intended to give glimpses into what's happening down the line.

 **Epilogue 1: The Dursleys**

The doorbell rang just as the Dursleys were sitting down for Saturday breakfast before packing Dudley off to Smeltings for the year. "Get the door, Dudley!" bellowed Vernon, not wanting to interrupt his own breakfast.

Dudley whined softly, but did what he was told. Without his cousin here to take his father's abuse, he knew better than to argue. If only to keep from getting a headache from all the yelling. Opening the door, he saw a man in a delivery uniform holding a letter.

"Dudley Dursley?" he asked. When Dudley nodded, he held out the envelope. "Special delivery for you, young man. Have a good day!"

Dudley took the envelope, then closed the door as the man turned and walked back to the street. Turning it over, there was no return address, only the letters "RVO." He started opening the letter as he walked back to the kitchen, pulling it out just as he got there.

"Who was it?" asked Petunia.

"It was a letter for me," said Dudley, holding it up.

"That's strange," said Petunia. "Why didn't it just come with the regular post?"

"I dunno," replied Dudley. "The man said it was a special delivery."

"Well, who's it from?" grunted Vernon around a mouthful of food.

"There was no return address. Let me read it and see." Dudley unfolded the letter and began reading it.

 _26th_ _August, 1995_

 _Dear Dudley,_

 _Your parents will be receiving official notice of this shortly, but I wanted to tell you personally that I will not be returning to live with you any more. My godfather has been exonerated and will be formally adopting me, meaning that I now have a home where I am wanted and will no longer have to suffer through my summers with your family._

 _I know that sounds harsh, but we both know it's the truth. That said, I realize that you are just a product of your environment, and that had your parents treated me differently you would have too. So while I never intend to speak to them again, I'm willing to give you one more chance. Make something of yourself, something more than just what your parents have pushed you towards. Whether you realize it or not, you have an opportunity before you to be better than they are, but only if you do it for yourself._

 _I don't expect you'll want to contact me in the future, and I certainly don't plan on contacting you, but if you ever change your mind, you can reach me through the Secretary of the Royal Victorian Order, Buckingham Palace. Good luck, Dudley. Even though we never really got along, I wish you the best._

 _(_ _signed_ _) Sir Harry James Potter, KCVO_

"It's from Harry." said Dudley after he finished reading it. "What's 'KCVO' stand for?"

Petunia looked confused for a moment, then said, "I think that's a Knight of the Victorian Order, why?"

"Does this mean he's a knight?" asked Dudley, holding out the letter and pointing to the signature.

Petunia looked at it, blinked and looked at it again. Then she fainted.

* * *

Twenty minutes later Petunia was lying on the couch with her feet up, while Vernon was alternating between worrying over her and grumbling about Harry Potter being a bloody knight. Dudley had wisely retreated to his room, taking the letter with him to try and keep his father from damaging it. He wasn't sure how he felt about the whole thing, but something in his gut told him he should hold on to it.

He had just finished putting it in one of his hiding places and was heading back downstairs when the doorbell rang for a second time that morning.

"What now?!" roared Vernon, causing both Dudley and Petunia to wince. Vernon stomped over to the door and pulled it open; he was about to yell at whoever had rung the bell when he pulled up short. There were several uniformed police constables standing there, along with a pair of detectives.

"Vernon Dursley?" asked the older of the two detectives.

Vernon could only nod, still uncertain as to why there were so many police outside his house.

Holding up a piece of paper, the detective continued, "We have a warrant to search the premises. Please step outside while we perform the search."

This Vernon couldn't let go, and the vein in his forehead started throbbing. "What?" he bellowed. "This must be a mistake!"

"What is it, Vernon?" asked Petunia, as she tried to sit up on the couch.

"Mister Dursley," said the detective, "Please step outside and allow us to perform our duty. We also require everyone else in the house to exit as well. I'm sure if this is a mistake, this will all be over shortly and we can all get on with our day. Who else is in the house?"

Vernon looked like he wanted to tell them off, but he knew better than to push the issue. Two of the constables were eyeing him up in case they had to get physical, and he knew that wouldn't end well. "Just my wife and son," he said, trying to put on a smile. "Please allow me to help my wife outside, she had a bit of a fright earlier and is resting on the couch right now." Getting a nod, Vernon turned inside and went over to Petunia.

"What's going on?" she asked, as she sat on the couch still looking a bit peaked.

"The police are here with a search warrant. I'm not sure what it's about, but we have to step outside and let them do their job." He helped her up, not noticing the brief look of panic on her face as he did so. "Dudley, get down here!" he shouted up the stairs as he steadied Petunia on her feet.

Dudley came down the rest of the stairs, having watched the initial discussion at the door from near the top. "What's going on, dad?" he asked.

"I don't know, son," said Vernon. "They want to search the house for some reason, though I don't know why. We're going to have to go outside and wait." Vernon helped Petunia outside, followed by Dudley, and all three of them were directed to go wait off to the side. Once they were all outside, the two detectives and a couple of the constables went into the house and began looking around.

"What do they want?" asked Petunia nervously. She had a suspicion, after the letter Dudley received this morning, and if she was right there was going to be trouble one way or another.

"They didn't say," replied Vernon. "I'm sure this is just a mistake. None of us has done anything wrong, right Dudley?" The last was said looking at Dudley, with a slight edge in his tone.

"No, Dad," said Dudley, trying not to show any fear. He didn't think he'd done anything that would warrant this kind of response, but even so his father was rather intimidating when he was angry.

They stood there for several minutes, each keeping their thoughts to themselves. Dudley was trying to compare everything he was seeing to the television shows he'd seen, while Vernon was doing his best to stay calm and not pace, which would only ruin the neatly cut lawn. But it was Petunia who was worrying the most, not just about what the police might find, but also what the neighbors were thinking. She tried not to look around at them, not give away the fact that she knew they were watching everything with unbridled interest. She could feel their eyes watching, trying to find out whatever they could for use as gossip later. Even if nothing more happened, she knew her perfect image was never going to recover to what it had been before breakfast today.

Their little worry-fest was broken up as they were approached by someone who interrupted them asking, "Mister and Missus Dursley?" He wasn't wearing a uniform, and it took Dudley a second to realize that he recognized him as the same man who had delivered his letter. He was about to say something when the man shook his head slightly and winked at him.

Vernon and Petunia turned to the newcomer, wondering who he was. "Yes?" answered Vernon.

The man flashed a badge too fast to make out any details, then said, "If I may have a word with you in private, Mister and Missus Dursley?" Looking at Dudley, he added, "Your son can wait over there," pointing at the other side of the yard.

Vernon looked at Dudley, who just nodded and said, "Yes, dad," before walking across the yard and turning to watch what was going on. "Now who are you, and what do you want?" asked Vernon.

"My name," the man said, "is Steven Smith. And I'm here to discuss what's currently happening, and what you're going to do about it." Seeing Vernon's expression darken, he raised his left hand in a "stop" motion, while making a surreptitious motion with his right.

Vernon's attention was drawn to the palm in front of his face, but Petunia noticed the wand briefly in the man's other hand, and nearly shouted before she got a hold of herself. "You're one of those freaks!" she said trying to keep her voice down.

Mister Smith glared at her, then stated, "I have no idea what freaks you're talking about, but I most certainly am not one."

"You used a wand!" she replied, clearly struggling to keep her voice down. "You're a freak like Harry!" Hearing that Vernon's face grew redder, but he managed to not say anything until he knew what was going on.

Mister Smith sighed. "Yes, I'm a wizard, and I used a wand to keep our conversation private. No, I'm not a freak. And if you're not going to listen to my offer then I'll just leave and report to Her Majesty that you weren't willing to cooperate."

At the mention of the Queen, both Vernon and Petunia's eyes went wide, and they subsided a bit in their surprise. After a moment, Vernon shook his head and said, "No, that won't be necessary. Please tell us what you have to say."

Mister Smith nodded, then said, "Very well. I want you to listen carefully, because this is a one-time offer and I won't be repeating myself. Do you understand?" Getting nods from both Dursleys, he continued, "I don't know exactly what the detectives are going to find, but based on that you will most likely be facing charges of at least child abuse, and possibly more." Seeing Vernon bristle, he cocked his head and held up a hand, then waited until it was clear Vernon wasn't going to say anything yet.

"As I was saying, you will likely be facing charges of some sort as a result of today's search. The offer is this: you will plead guilty to all charges and not fight them or their consequences in any way, and when you've served your punishment this whole thing will be over with and you'll never have to deal with us again."

"And if we don't go along with this?" asked Petunia shakily, putting a hand on Vernon's shoulder to keep him from saying anything.

"If you don't cooperate completely, or you attempt to fight the charges or punishment in any way, then Her Majesty will take a special interest in you and everything you've ever done." Mister Smith's face grew harder, if that was possible. "Your lives will be turned inside out looking for even the smallest thing that you can be charged with, and the Crown will ask for the harshest sentences possible. Plus, you'll never be able to do anything ever again without looking over your shoulder to see if we're watching, looking to see if you do anything we can charge you with even after you've been released. Assuming you ever get out of prison, that is."

"You can't do that!" bellowed Vernon before Petunia could calm him down. Mister Smith just ignored him, watching Petunia for her reaction.

"But why would the Queen want to do that to us?" she asked after a moment.

"Her Majesty does not take kindly to the abuse of children," said Mister Smith. "That goes doubly so for one who has selflessly done her great service sufficient to warrant granting him a knighthood. I've given you her offer, and will be keeping an eye on things to see if you accept it or not. It is my greatest hope that I never have to see you again, and that should be your greatest hope too. Trust me when I say that the next time we meet, it won't be anywhere near as pleasant." He smiled a not-so-nice smile, then quickly waved his wand to dispel the privacy charm. "Thank you for your time, Mister and Missus Dursley, and good day."

Smith turned and walked away, leaving Vernon and Petunia behind. Just then one of the detectives came out of the house, motioned to the two constables who had remained outside, and walked over to them.

"Vernon and Petunia Dursley, you are under arrest," he said.

Petunia fainted again.

* * *

When Detective Inspector Kathleen Nevin arrived at her desk a few mornings later, she found a plain envelope on her desk bearing only her name. Intrigued, she sat down and opened it, finding a newspaper clipping with a sticky note at the top as well as another, smaller envelope.

Looking first at the sticky note, it simply said, "I thought you might appreciate this - George ( the Met)" She continued down the clipping and noticed one of the headlines was circled: **Child Abuse in Little Whinging**. As she read the article, she recalled the unofficial investigation from a few weeks back and smiled. Apparently her instincts had been right, and now the Dursleys would have to face the music.

Once she finished reading the article, she opened the smaller envelope. Out fell two tickets to the Royal Shakespeare Company, along with a brief note. Looking at the note, she nearly fell out of her chair. Embossed with the Royal Seal, it simply read,

 _With my compliments,_

 _(signed) Elizabeth R._


	36. Epilogue 2: The Queen's Justice

_Originally Posted 8/29/16, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 ** **Disclaimer:**** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Epilogue 2: The Queen's Justice**

During the two weeks that followed the assault on the Riddle House and the death of Voldemort, the Crown Wizard's office, the MMS, and a select group of others worked to prepare for the trials of the remaining Death Eaters. The biggest challenge was procuring appropriate legal representation for them, since despite the obvious guilt of many of them the proper legal forms needed to be observed wherever possible. Madam Edgecome had already been provided with a solicitor, but she, along with the other Death Eaters required a barrister, and there was always the possibility that they would not want to use the same one. Eventually, a team of six barristers and three additional solicitors with the appropriate credentials were recruited via word of mouth, most of them being relatives of people with ties to the Magical community in some way or another.

The trials were held over the last two days of August, with all but one being concluded in that time. Madam Edgecombe's trial was first, and fastest, as after making her agreement with the MMS and having further discussed things with her legal advisers, she pled guilty to charges of treason and sedition and agreed to testify against the others knowing that if they were somehow spared her life would be in jeopardy from them. Her testimony, along with that of Severus Snape, was the final nail in the coffins of the remaining three, whose interrogation transcripts were damning to begin with. Malfoy and Yaxley refused to put forward any defense other than that they had been under the Imperius Curse, despite warnings from their legal team against it, while Macnair proudly proclaimed his involvement, having considered it impossible that he would ever be held somewhere his Dark Lord couldn't rescue him from.

The fact that Voldemort was dead hadn't been kept from them, but in true pure-blood fashion none of the three had taken their Muggle captors seriously; after all, Voldemort had come back before and bragged about his steps towards immortality, so he would probably do so again. Thus it was no surprise when all three were found guilty, and immediately sentenced to death by hanging. What was a surprise to them, however, was the fact that they were not sent to Azkaban, but instead were remanded to the custody of the MMS pending their execution. Even if Voldemort found a way to return and attempt to rescue them, chances were he wouldn't be able to locate them on his own.

The reason for this was that Her Majesty had stated early on, unequivocally, that the dementors of Azkaban had to go before she would permit any new prisoners to be sent there, and the sooner it happened the better. Despite the potential danger of removing them, there was no way they would ever be considered acceptable treatment of anyone, prisoner or not, and so she had tasked her Chief Wizard with finding a way to either destroy or remove them altogether. The Chief Wizard had, in turn, enlisted Croaker and his Unspeakables, asking them to come up with a solution as quickly as possible, but as of yet they didn't have one.

The final trial, that of Severus Snape, was ultimately delayed for several months. During the time the legal team had been preparing for the Death Eater trials, there had also been a further investigation into Snape's behavior at Hogwarts, and it was ultimately decided to postpone his trial while they determined what, if anything, they could charge him with for his behavior while teaching. In the meantime he, along with Madam Edgecombe, were kept in holding cells at a different location from the other Death Eaters for their own safety, just in case something happened.

The outcomes of the trials were announced to the Magical world on the second of September, three weeks after they had first been arrested. While the actual information had been given to Governor General Bones, and from there a press release had been given to the Prophet that evening, everyone involved agreed that it was best to wait until all of the students were safely in Hogwarts before risking the public's reaction. Fortunately, despite a lot of grumbling, there was only limited unrest as a result of the verdict and sentences, and not enough that the Aurors weren't able to handle it themselves. Still, there were a number of people arrested and ultimately sentenced to both community service, as well as a mandatory education program, although the latter had yet to be properly created.

* * *

That same day, quietly and without fanfare, Dolores Umbridge found herself finally being taken out of her cell for more than just a shower and exercise. She attempted to find out where she was going, but all that did was get her blindfolded and gagged. She was placed in some sort of a vehicle and driven about an hour before being taken out of said vehicle and led inside a building. There, she was seated in a chair and secured to it before her blindfold and gag were finally removed. Standing in front of her, looking just as displeased as the last time she'd seen her, was the Queen.

"Dolores Umbridge, we have brought you before us to determine what it is that we should do with you. Before we decide, do you have anything to say for yourself?" asked the Queen.

Umbridge narrowed her eyes. Just who did this Muggle think she was, thinking she could decide what to do with a witch. "You hold no authority over me. I demand to speak to the Minister of Magic immediately!" She stared at the Queen defiantly, challenging her to refuse.

The Queen narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips before responding. "We see that your time to yourself has done nothing to change your attitude. Very well, if you will not back down, neither shall we. Dolores Umbridge, you are charged with High Treason in the attempted murder of your sovereign. We look forward to your conviction and execution thereafter." The Queen turned to one of the soldiers guarding Umbridge and said, "Return her to her cell and coordinate legal representation for her. The Chief Wizard will be in touch regarding a trial schedule, but the sooner the better."

The soldier saluted and said, "Yes, Ma'am," before showing her out. He then returned to a protesting Umbridge and blindfolded and gagged her again, before beginning the process of taking her back whence she'd come.

* * *

Umbridge's trial was held two weeks later, and despite the seriousness of the charge was remarkably short. The fact that there were numerous witnesses to Umbridge pointing her wand at the Queen and shouting " _Reducto!_ " might have been all that was needed, but when Umbridge lost her cool and began hurling insults at the Queen, the judge, and everyone else who she saw as being inferior to herself it sealed her fate. Like the three Death Eaters who hadn't cooperated with the MMS, she found herself sentenced to death by hanging and was taken to be held with the other condemned Magicals.

After several discussions on how to best ensure that the actual hangings were not disrupted by misguided members of the Magical community, it was ultimately decided that they would take place in the courtyard of Azkaban prison, once the dementor issue had been resolved. They might have been able to do it sooner, given that the prisoners wouldn't actually be housed there, but nobody was certain how the dementors would react to condemned prisoners on their way to the gallows, and nobody wanted to take any chances either.

The solution to the dementor problem was finally agreed upon the last week in October. Despite numerous attempts to do so in different ways, no successful method had been found for destroying dementors, and the only remaining suggestion was deemed unacceptable. While the Crown Wizards had been thoroughly horrified at the Unspeakables' proposal to use a nuclear weapon to destroy the dementors, they had dutifully consulted with the MMS, and ultimately the Queen, to make an informed decision. Strangely it wasn't the political ramifications that stopped the proposal, but the inability to guarantee the safety and efficacy of capturing, transporting, and destroying all of the dementors.

With no way to destroy them, the dementors would instead be herded into the far corner of the lowest level of Azkaban and sealed in place. Both Magical wards and non-Magical methods like concrete would be used to ensure they remained there forever, and the prisoners would all be moved to the opposite end of the prison. It was hoped that over time the lack of prisoners to feed off of would result in the dementors weakening, or perhaps even dying off altogether, but at the very least it would provide some time to keep researching a better solution. It took nearly three weeks to assemble all of the materials needed to seal the dementors in, and two of the team members nearly lost their souls to the Dementor's Kiss while they were herding them into place, but it was finally done and the Prison was deemed usable again. The only place the effects of the dementors was still felt was in the far corner of the central courtyard, closest to where they had been sealed in.

* * *

It was a cold, rainy morning in early December when the Prophet announced that the execution of the convicted Death Eaters and former Undersecretary Umbridge had been carried out the previous day. While a reporter and photographer had been permitted to witness the executions, the only image the paper published was a still one showing the four condemned prisoners having their sentences read to them while standing on the gallows platform. The article was very matter-of-fact in its description of the execution itself, neither embellishing nor softening anything for the readers.

While the story did carry a warning for sensitive readers, it had been decided that the only way to avoid the appearance of pushing an agenda for or against the executions was to report the straight truth and nothing more. This caused quite a stir among many of the Prophet's readers, who sent a number of letters to the editor along with quite a few Howlers, but other than an editorial the next day explaining their position in response to those letters the paper did nothing more.

Below the story about the execution was a second story, with headlines nearly as large, proclaiming that Her Majesty the Queen was taking steps to permanently ban the death penalty for both her Magical and non-Magical realms. While this latter news was greeted with approval, it wasn't enough to prevent protests by the same group of people who had protested the original trials and sentences. Fortunately, the protests were mostly peaceful, and similar to the last ones there were a limited numbers of arrests for minor offenses but no other damage. A few of the protesters even tried to keep them going, returning to the Ministry to protest the next day, but eventually gave up when it became clear that while many people were uncomfortable with the concept of the death penalty, most of the public weren't actually sad to see it happen to those particular individuals.

Over the next two years, the Queen's direct involvement was limited to briefings on the project to normalize the laws, giving or withholding assent from the drafts of those laws, and negotiations over a replacement Wizarding Charter. She continued to receive regular reports on the state of the Magical world, and occasionally sent comments or suggestions back as a result, but beyond that she stayed back and allowed things to proceed on their own, judging that anything more might have a detrimental effect on the changes she had mandated.


	37. Epilogue 3: Severus Snape

_Originally Posted 8/31/16, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 ** **Disclaimer:**** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Epilogue 3: Severus Snape**

"On the charge of Treason against the Crown, how do you find?"

"Not Guilty."

Severus Snape let out the breath he'd been holding for the past twenty seconds and felt himself relax slightly. He hadn't been cleared of all charges, but he had been acquitted on the two most serious ones: Sedition and Treason. While this meant he was probably looking at some time in Azkaban, or wherever prisoners were being held these days, it also spared him from a likely death sentence. Plus, once he was out he would never have to return to Hogwarts again.

While the judge thanked the jury for their verdicts, he turned to his barrister and said, "Thank you."

His barrister nodded and said, "You're welcome. Hopefully they won't lock you up for too long."

Snape nodded, then shrugged nonchalantly. "However long it is, I'll live. It's better than the alternative, especially since the Dark Lord is gone."

"True, true," said his barrister absently as he collected his papers.

The judge banged his gavel once to get everyone's attention. Snape turned back to the judge and stood straight again, awaiting his fate while the barrister continued putting his things together.

"Severus Snape," intoned the judge, "the jury has found you guilty of fourteen counts of Abuse of Authority, while finding you not guilty of the charges of Sedition and Treason against the Crown. Do you have anything you wish to say before I pronounce your sentence?"

"Yes, My Lord," said Snape. "I just want to say that I have no intention of returning to teaching now that the Dark Lord is defeated, and I stand ready to accept my punishment."

"I see," said the judge, thinking for a moment. "Very well. Severus Snape, I sentence you to fourteen terms of two years each in the custody of Her Majesty's Magical Prison, to be served concurrently. Additionally, the second year of each term is hereby suspended dependent on your good behavior while incarcerated. Should you keep yourself out of trouble, that second year will be converted to probation following your release. Otherwise you will serve the entire term before being released. Do you have any questions?"

"No, My Lord," replied Snape. "Thank you for your generosity."

"Thank me by keeping your nose clean and not making me regret it, understood?"

"Yes, My Lord."

"Good," said the judge, banging his gavel. "Court is adjourned."

As Snape was led off to wherever he was to be held, he considered his situation carefully. On the one hand, he had a year to spend in prison, served who-knows-where. On the other hand, even if it was Azkaban, he knew that the dementors would no longer be used, and it was only a year. Plus, he had every intention of keeping himself out of trouble and not having to serve that second year.

No, the real positive of this situation was that in no more than two years time he would be free one way or another. Free from the Dark Lord, free from Dumbledore, free from having to teach students at Hogwarts. And most of all, free from having to see Harry bloody Potter ever again. It was that last thought that made him smile as he was led from the courtroom.

* * *

Severus Snape unconsciously rubbed his left forearm as he walked out of the Ministry of Magic a mostly free man. He had just finished registering with the DMLE's new parole office, and as long as he kept himself out of trouble for the next twelve months he'd be completely free. As he headed for the public Floo he realized that for perhaps the first time ever, he was finally the master of his own destiny.

With the death of Voldemort, Snape had found himself free from what he expected to be a lifetime of servitude to a madman, one he'd regretted pledging himself to from nearly the beginning. With Dumbledore's fall from grace he'd lost the protection of his other master, and found himself in the custody of Her Majesty's forces with no one to help him. Fortunately for him, his willingness to help against his first master, along with the efficacy of the help he ultimately provided, went a long way towards sparing him.

In the end, he'd spent a year in prison for abusing his students at Hogwarts, and had to stay clean for another to avoid going back, but that had also probably been the best thing that could have happened to him. When the news of his being a Death Eater had first gotten out, there were many people who wanted nothing more than take a few shots at him. A year later everyone had calmed down, especially after the story of his cooperation was released, and the worst he'd had to deal with was some disdainful looks.

The other thing that had happened was that he'd been kept mostly away from the other prisoners. At first it was ostensibly for his own protection, but he came to prefer it that way, and convinced the guards to leave him there. He'd spent a lot of time thinking, and had come to several realizations about himself and his future. Most notably was the realization that he didn't just hate teaching children, but he pretty much hated dealing with anyone and everyone. He'd much rather spend all day by himself in a potions lab than having to deal with other people, which had led to his current plan.

After taking the Floo to the Three Broomsticks, he quickly purchased a copy of the Daily Prophet and Apparated to his home. After confirming that there was nothing quite like it listed in the Prophet, he began to finalize his plans.

* * *

Life was good, thought Severus Snape as he walked into his potions lab. It was over a year and a half since he had been released from prison, and his mail-order potions business was thriving. Being able to brew even the most complicated potions had served him well, especially among the British werewolf population. Even if it did mean having to brew for Remus Lupin on a regular basis.

But the full moon had passed a few days ago and he wouldn't have to start the next batch of the Wolfsbane Potion for another couple of weeks, so he dropped that line of thought and went to check on the potions he had under stasis or otherwise brewing. Once he had confirmed that everything was as he expected, he went to check the day's mail. It wasn't safe to have owls in the lab, so he had a separate post room adjacent to it for receiving and sending orders.

He opened each letter and separated them by type: requests for common potions he had in stock, requests for potions he would have to brew specifically, and other correspondence that wasn't orders. He mused to himself that if he got much busier he'd need to hire an assistant, something he would never have even considered even a year ago, until the last letter made his train of thought derail.

It had no return address, so he'd checked it for spells (there were none) before opening it. The handwriting looked familiar, but he didn't recognize it at first, and so read the letter feeling pleased about its contents. It wasn't until he got to the end and saw the signature that he dropped it like a hot potato, his expression turning sour.

 _5_ _th_ _August, 1998_

 _Dear Professor Snape,_

 _Congratulations on your potions business, I hear it's doing well. Actually, from what I've heard, it's doing so well you might need an assistant. Thanks to you teaching me how to brew under pressure, I got an O on my Potions O.W.L. a couple years ago, and just found out I received an O on my Potions N.E.W.T. as well. Since I know you only ever wanted to work with the best, I figured I'd see if you were interested in taking me on as an apprentice and to help you with your business. While classroom teaching may not have suited you, I wonder if working one-on-one would be a better way of learning from a skilled Potions Master like you._

 _If you're interested, all of my owl correspondence is currently handled through the Crown Ambassador's office. Just send your reply there with my name on it and they'll make sure I get it right away. I look forward to hearing from you, and even if you're not interested I wish you the best of luck with your business._

 _(signed) Sir Harry James Potter, KCVO_

 _P.S. I'm only joking about the apprentice/assistant position, but I did get Os in both my Potions O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. It's amazing what you can learn from a teacher who actually wants to teach!_

 _(animated smiley face)_

He picked up the letter and read it again, this time reading the P.S. as well. He blew out a breath when he saw that Potter was joking about being his apprentice, considering even the concept to be cringeworthy. Still, now that he was no longer trapped in his teaching position at Hogwarts, he could appreciate the humor behind the letter, and the smiley face that occasionally stuck out its tongue at him. Probably Black's contribution, he decided.

Shaking his head, he decided that he'd have to find a creative way to respond, and if he couldn't he'd just ignore it. Besides, potions didn't just brew themselves, and he'd gotten half a dozen custom orders today alone. Picking up the stack of them, he returned to the lab to start working on them. Once they were in process he could send out the orders that were already in stock, hopefully before it was time for lunch.

If anyone who'd known Professor Snape from Hogwarts had been there to watch him as he started brewing his first order, they would have been shocked to see him not only without a scowl on his face, but actually smiling.


	38. Epilogue 4: Sirius Black

_Originally Posted 9/2/16, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 ** **Disclaimer:**** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Epilogue 4: Sirius Black**

Sirius sat down on the couch, kicked off his shoes, closed his eyes and just relaxed. He could hear Remus cleaning up in the kitchen, but other than that the last of his housewarming guests had finally left and he could let his guard down a little. After all, with the exception of Remus, the Grangers, and his cousins the Tonks, none of the other guests knew he was a wizard. He thought about everything that had happened in the past three months that had brought him here, and marveled at how much difference those three months had made.

After Harry had gone off to school, Sirius had spent nearly a month working with the government, both Magical and otherwise, to arrange for compensation for his improper imprisonment as well as a suitable cover story for not really having much of a history in the non-Magical world. Eventually they had decided on a sanitized version of the truth, where he had been wrongfully convicted of killing his best friends and after fourteen years had finally been exonerated. The Ministry had, after some deliberation, offered him a quarter of a million Galleons in reparations; a bit over a quarter of that was for lost wages, while the rest was compensation for the injustice he suffered. He also had what was essentially lifetime health care paid for by the Ministry, especially as regards to counseling to cope with his ordeal.

While the amount of compensation had been agreed to, there was still the problem of having the funds to actually give him. This was solved when the Crown Wizards' office stepped in and offered to give him an immediate payment of half a million pounds, which was about 100,000 Galleons, and the Ministry would then have fifteen years to pay him the remaining 150,000 Galleons at a rate of 10,000 Galleons per year. Since Sirius was in need of non-Magical currency anyway, and could easily afford to live off of his own Wizarding funds in the meantime, he graciously accepted and the deal was done within a couple more weeks.

With money, identifying papers, and a convincing back story in hand, Sirius had then gone house shopping. After first speaking to them about Hermione staying a few days with him when he and Harry had returned to Grimmauld Place, Sirius had struck up a tentative friendship with the Grangers, and since then had spoken to them several times about the non-Magical world. When the time came to go house-hunting, he decided to look in their general area first, as they had volunteered one of their weekends to help him out in exchange for learning more about the Magical world. In the end, he'd found a nice house in Pease Pottage about a mile and a half from theirs, which he closed on the week before Halloween.

He'd moved in the first weekend in November (having spent Halloween with Remus and Harry, the latter of whom he'd taken out of school for the day to visit his parents' grave for the first time), and held his housewarming the following weekend. Knowing his name had been plastered all over the news a couple of years previously, he'd decided that opening his new home to the whole neighborhood and getting his 'official' story out would go a long way towards easing people's suspicions. The fact that the Grangers could vouch for Harry attending school with their daughter also helped a lot, something he hadn't planned for but appreciated nonetheless.

He had just heard Remus turn off the water from doing dishes when the doorbell rang unexpectedly. Sirius stretched and called out, "I'll get it," then stood and went to the door. To say he was shocked when he opened it was an understatement; there, in mostly proper non-Magical clothes, was his cousin Narcissa Malfoy. They looked at each other for a few seconds before Sirius shook his head and asked, "Well, this is unexpected."

Narcissa looked uncomfortable but asked, quietly, "May I come in, Lord Black?"

Taken aback at the use of his title, he looked around to be sure nobody was trying to prank him before stepping aside and answering, "Welcome to my home, cousin Narcissa. May I take your coat?"

Looking a little more comfortable at his semi-formal response, she stepped inside the house and said, "Yes, thank you." Looking around as Sirius took her coat, she had to admit that while nowhere near as opulent as her manor, this house felt more lived in than the one she'd occupied for the past twenty years or so. While not quite ready to admit it, she wondered in the back of her mind if it had more to do with the occupants than anything else.

"Can I get you anything?" asked Sirius, once he'd hung up her coat. He would have preferred just asking her what she wanted, but recent events had taught him to be more tactful, and he certainly didn't want to start a fight inside his brand-new house.

Disturbed from her consideration of the house, Narcissa replied, "Hmm? Oh, no thank you."

"Alright," said Sirius, deciding that he'd observed proper form long enough. "So why are you here? While I must admit that you've done an admirable job of trying to fit in, I'm still not inclined to trust you very much given our history." It was true; they'd never really been friends, and once she married Lucius and bought into the Pureblood supremacy nonsense even more he'd never trusted her again. That was why, when she'd first sent him an owl requesting a meeting after Lucius was tried and convicted, he'd respectfully declined on the grounds that he was simply too busy dealing with everything on his end. Now, however, she'd made the effort to track him down and dress appropriately, so he supposed he should at least give her a chance.

"I know, Lord Black, but I felt that I needed to try. If it helps any, I offer my unconditional apology for everything that I've done previously to offend you." The last was said demurely, but Sirius didn't think she was trying to be coy.

"Very well, Narcissa, please have a seat and we will speak about whatever you wish. Do you object if my friend Remus Lupin joins us to act as a moderator if needed?"

Narcissa looked slightly startled at the mention of someone else being in the house, not to mention that someone being a werewolf, but after a moment decided that it might be a good idea. Besides, Lupin had been one of Draco's teachers two years previous, and might have some insight on how to deal with her son as well. "No, I have no objection. In fact, he might have something to contribute to the discussion, as it is about my son, Draco."

Sirius held his tongue wanting to know what his son's nemesis had done now, and instead called out, "Remus, can you please join us in the living room? My cousin Narcissa has come to talk about her son."

Remus appeared a moment later, nodding to Narcissa before saying, "Good evening Madam Malfoy."

"Mister Lupin," she replied, not entirely comfortable but doing her best. Once Remus had seated himself, she looked back at Sirius and began. "As I'm sure you know, Lord Black, my son Draco is somewhat of an antagonist towards your godson."

"Son," interrupted Sirius. At Narcissa's confused look he continued, "Harry is my son now. I formally adopted him as my son and heir before he returned to school, and will do so in the non-Magical world once I've properly established myself here as well."

"I see," said Narcissa, before gathering her thoughts to continue. "In any event, Draco and your son, Harry, do not and have not gotten along well since they started school together. While it appears that your son has managed to grow up somewhat since then, my son is unfortunately lagging behind in that department."

Sirius stifled a laugh, much to Remus's amusement, then nodded at Narcissa as he ignored her glare. "I am aware of the difficulties between our sons, yes."

"Then you are probably aware that my son has had his wand confiscated three times since the beginning of the school year, his prefect status was taken away from him, and that he is facing possible expulsion, not to mention prosecution, should it happen again. I have come to you, Lord Black, to ask for your help in finding a way to prevent that from happening."

Sirius looked at her closely, and decided that she was being straight with him, or at least as best she could. "I'm not sure what you want me to do, Narcissa. Harry's not the one who's been starting things, and the school rules are very straightforward about how inter-student violence is to be handled."

Narcissa nodded and said, "I understand. Were it not for the Ministry's freeze on the Malfoy assets other than necessary living expenses I would have already pulled him out of Hogwarts and sent him elsewhere. Unfortunately, that requires funds that I no longer have access to, and while I know my connection to you is tenuous at best, you are my best hope for being able to provide the financial support needed to send Draco to school somewhere else." Narcissa looked up at Sirius and pleaded with her eyes before adding, "Please, Lord Black. My greatest fear was that I would lose my son to the Dark Lord after already having lost my husband. Now, while that direct threat is gone, I still fear that his attempts to follow the path his father set out before him will doom him to a similar fate. All I ask for is a chance to take him away from his current situation so that he might find a new path for himself."

Sirius stared at his cousin, who he had thought was just as bad as her husband or crazy sister, and realized that while she still held beliefs that ran counter to his own, she was also a mother who would do anything for her only child. Knowing how he felt about Harry, and that he would do the same for him, he considered her request carefully before responding. "I can understand your concern for you son, and I certainly appreciate your desire to see him change, but I'm not sure if you, I, or anyone can really help him with that."

"Please, Sirius," she interrupted, "I have to try!"

Seeing her let her guard down, even for just a moment, convinced him that she was at least being honest with him, and helped make the decision for him. He considered his words for a moment then said, "Very well. I too am concerned that Draco is heading down a path from which he will only reach a bad end, and while I may not particularly like him, I can certainly sympathize with a parent's desire to help their child." He held up a hand to indicate that he wasn't done, and thought for a minute before continuing. "Here is my offer, and it will be up to Draco to demonstrate his worth and willingness to accept it. If he can stay out of trouble until the Christmas holidays, I will meet with him and personally extend the following: In exchange for a vow to not set foot inside the Magical Kingdom of Great Britain for twenty years, I will pay for his tuition and room and board at the school of your choice and give him five hundred Galleons on each of his next three birthdays. Additionally, I will pay him a bonus for his O.W.L and N.E.W.T. scores according to a schedule that I still need to work out."

Narcissa stared at her cousin, gobsmacked at his generosity. "That's," she said, before closing her mouth and gathering her thoughts for a moment. "That's more than generous, Lord Black. If I may ask, why are you being so generous?"

"Two reasons, cousin. First, because no matter what environment Draco ends up in, he's still going to resent having lost his financial security. This will help him get over it, and that should also go some distance towards dissipating his anger about this whole situation. And second, while it may seem like a lot of money to you right now, it's not that much to me, especially given the compensation the Ministry still owes me for my years spent in Azkaban. And if throwing some of that money at your son can prevent my son from having to deal with him as an enemy for the rest of his life, I consider that to be worth every single Knut."

"Thank you, Sirius, I don't know what to say," she replied, once again surprised enough to drop her formal mien.

"Beyond thank you, say that you'll try to be open to the changes that are happening in Magical society. If you can accept them, that will go a long way towards convincing others in your circle to accept them as well. That's the payment I ask for this favor, can you do that Narcissa?"

Stunned at his idea of compensation, she realized the truth of his words. As the wife of one of only a handful of Death Eaters to survive to be tried, she held a rather prominent position from a public perception standpoint. She wasn't sure how well she could actually do it, but today had proven that she could at least make an effort, and if that's what it took to save her son she supposed she didn't have much choice. "I'll try, Lord Black," she said, looking at him solemnly.

Sirius nodded, seeing that she at least meant that she'd try. He wouldn't blame her if she ultimately failed, as long as she gave it her best. Especially if it made Draco behave himself. "Then we have an agreement, Madam Malfoy. I'll speak to my solicitor and have him send you a draft of the agreement, including the exam bonus schedule, and we can meet again over the Christmas holidays to finalize things and have your son accept or reject it. Please do make sure he knows this is a one-time offer; if he rejects the deal out of hand, I won't repeat it. Reasonable changes will be considered, though I make no guarantees."

"I understand, and thank you," replied Narcissa, sounding relieved that her son now at least had a chance. "I'll send him a letter immediately and follow up with speaking to him personally as soon as I can. If I have any say in the matter, he'll accept the deal when the time comes."

Standing, Sirius offered her his hand as he said, "I look forward to our sons not fighting any more, and will speak to you again another time. As much as I'm surprised to admit it, I would be willing to have tea with you again some time, should you wish it."

Narcissa took his hand and stood, looking just as surprised at his offer as he was. "I'll consider it, Sirius," she said, and smiled when he nodded his agreement.

"Well, it looks like you didn't need me here after all," said Remus, standing as well. Both Sirius and Narcissa looked at him and chuckled, as they had almost forgotten that he was there.

Sirius grinned at his friend and said, "Would you mind escorting my cousin back to the Magical world, Remus? While I'm sure she had a plan to do so, I'm guessing she'd feel more comfortable not having to do it alone, and I know you were heading that way anyway."

Remus nodded and said, "Sure," before looking at Narcissa and adding, "if you'd like?"

Narcissa considered for a moment while Sirius went and got her coat, before deciding that this might well be a test of her willingness to change. "Yes, thank you," she said to Remus, accepting her coat from her cousin. "Perhaps you can help me to understand what I should and shouldn't be doing in the Muggle world a little better."

Remus chuckled and nodded, before replying, "I think I can do that." Turning to Sirius he added, "Okay, your dishwasher's loaded so you'll know how to do it next time. Just take a look at how I put everything in it, including the soap, then close it all up including the little soap cover and push the start button when it's all closed. Hopefully you'll figure out the rest on your own, otherwise I'll come by in a few days and help you unload it."

Narcissa looked confused but Sirius just grinned and said, "Thanks Remus, you're a lifesaver. Especially since I can't let Kreacher help out here."

Remus laughed at his friend and patted him on the shoulder before grabbing his own coat and heading for the door. "Coming, Madam Malfoy?"

Narcissa nodded then looked at Sirius and said, "Thank you again, Lord Black. I appreciate your taking the time to speak with me."

"You're most welcome, cousin, thank you for coming." Having observed the formal farewell, he added, "Now go on, I'm exhausted and just want to take a nap. Later Moony!"

"Bye Padfoot," called Remus as he walked out the door, then held it as Narcissa followed him out. Once they were gone Sirius closed and locked the door, then went upstairs to take a nap before writing Harry about his surreal afternoon.

* * *

Sirius and Harry's first Christmas together was memorable for many reasons. They celebrated it in Sirius's house in Pease Pottage, along with the Tonks family and Remus, who Sirius had finally convinced to move into one of the spare bedrooms. Boxing day was spent with the Grangers, who were amazed that this was Harry's first real Christmas with family despite what Hermione had told them, and so they did their best to make it extra special. The other memorable event was the meeting with the Malfoys, which took place the day before New Year's eve in a conference room at Gringotts.

"I suppose it would have been too much to ask for you to not be here," grumbled Draco, as he walked in to see Harry sitting with Sirius. Narcissa made to say something but Sirius raised his hand and shook his head, having expected Draco to say something about Harry's presence.

Harry looked back at Draco for a moment, then shook his head as well. "I'm not here to fight with you Draco," he said. "You can take my father's offer or not, it really doesn't bother me. I've already told you what will happen if you step over the line again."

Both Sirius and Narcissa looked at Harry, then Draco, and realized that there was perhaps more to their rivalry than either of them had realized. Draco looked worried for a moment, then huffed, "Fine, let's just get this over with," before sitting down opposite Sirius.

The rest of the meeting went fairly quickly, as the final agreement had been hashed out in advance by Sirius and Narcissa's solicitors; the latter was also paid for by Sirius, but through a proxy to avoid conflicts of interest. In addition to the costs of schooling and the birthday money, Draco would receive 100 and 250 Galleons for each EE or O on his O.W.L.s, respectively, and twice that amount for his N.E.W.T.S. Anything below an A would dock him 100 or 200 Galleons from his total, which would discourage him from slacking on any of the core subjects he had to take the tests in.

The final piece was the vow, which Sirius and Narcissa had haggled over for several weeks. In the end, Draco vowed to not set foot in England, Scotland or Wales for a period of twenty years from the day he left for school, with an exception given should he receive written permission from either Sirius, Harry or whoever was the current Lord Black, should it be someone different.

With their business concluded and the formal farewells exchanged, Harry stuck out his hand saying, "Good luck, Draco."

Draco considered it for a moment, then stood and shook the offered hand. "You too," he said, somewhat begrudgingly. "Just do me a favor and tell everyone you killed me or something like that, just so my reputation remains intact. Alright?" Harry just stared at him incredulously, then nodded and chuckled at the request. "Thanks, Potter," said Draco, before turning and leaving.

Narcissa followed her son out of the room, leaving Harry and Sirius alone. "As much as I'm not going to miss him," said Harry, shaking his head as Sirius was gathering his things, "Things just won't be the same without him." He and Sirius shared a brief laugh, then exited the room as well, heading off to do some after-Christmas shopping at Harrods.

* * *

It took a little longer than the year they had hoped, but the week before Christmas of Harry's sixth year, Sirius formally adopted him in the non-Magical world. He'd turned down several full-time jobs, both on the Magical side (with the still reconstituting Ministry of Magic) and the non-Magical side (working for the Queen in several different capacities) in favor of working part-time for Fred and George Weasley helping first set up, and then develop products for, the new Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. He'd been able to finagle some sound investments on the non-Magical side to show his net worth, along with a Galleons-to-pounds conversion from his part-time wages, which had ultimately convinced the judge (who knew nothing of his Magical connections or wealth) that he was able to financially support Harry along with himself.

He'd also had to get a psychological certification, which had taken a while to get, but that was mostly because of the difficulty locating a counselor who was knowledgeable about Magic and able to look past both the fact that he was Sirius Black, and that the boy he was trying to adopt was Harry Potter. It wasn't that there were prejudices involved so much as that it was hard for people to just see them as people, but in the end he found someone who not only was willing and able to work with him, but had proven very helpful at dealing with some of his other issues (like getting over his animosity towards Snape).

And so, as they prepared to celebrate their second Christmas together, Harry and Sirius found themselves now father and son in every way except biological. Sirius had decided to keep living in the non-Magical world, at least until Harry finished school, as he'd come to enjoy certain parts of it more than he'd expected. He'd even started dating, though not seriously, much to the surprise of a number of the neighbors; they'd assumed he and Remus were a couple, something that the two Marauders had found both uproariously funny, as well as a little disconcerting. Still, nobody ever bothered them about it, so they didn't really care.

Christmas eve they, along with Remus, stayed up much too late, telling stories of previous Christmases both with now departed family as well as at Hogwarts. When Harry fell asleep on the couch, Sirius carried him upstairs and tucked him into bed. As he did so, Harry rolled over and mumbled, "G'night dad. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you too, son," replied Sirius before heading to bed himself. The smile was still on his face when he woke up the next morning.


	39. Epilogue 5: The Ministry of Magic (P1)

_Originally Posted 9/5/16, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 ** **Disclaimer:**** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Epilogue 5: The Ministry of Magic (Part 1)**

The first couple of months after the revocation of the Wizarding Charter had been fairly chaotic for the people working in the Ministry, especially those at the top, but in hindsight it had been a much smoother transition than anyone had expected. There had certainly been a number of incidents with unhappy citizens getting unruly and having to be taken in by the Aurors, but the vast majority of them had been confined to unhappy individuals, and most of those had also involved generous quantities of firewhisky or other intoxicants. After that things had mostly settled down as it became obvious that things were not going to return to their previous state, and most people started trying to make the best of the new paradigm.

There had only been four significant incidents where sizable groups of people had become unruly, and each time they had successfully been controlled without widespread violence. The first had taken place when the death sentences had been announced, which the Ministry had at least been prepared for. The idea of non-Magicals imposing the ultimate penalty on Wizards would probably always be controversial in some circles, and certainly made many people uncomfortable. Those who responded with violence had been limited to people who resisted the Aurors who were trying to settle them down, and ultimately had resulted in a number of minor injuries but nothing worse. In keeping with trying to set strong but fair punishments, the perpetrators all spent a few days in jail followed by community service along with a mandatory education program to teach them more about the non-Magical world.

* * *

Near the end of November, Percy Weasley released his preliminary report reconciling the laws of Magical Britain with those of non-Magical Britain. The biggest surprise was that while there were plenty of laws that needed to be repealed, very few of those that remained needed significant changes to them. While there were certainly additional laws needed to cover various things like discrimination and various modern things that Magical society hadn't caught up to yet, most of the ones that weren't aimed at maintaining the pure-blood supremacy over other Magicals were fairly reasonable, if perhaps in need of some modernization. It was this report, combined with the further reforms within the ministry that led to the second and third incidents, and the events surrounding them.

Once Governor General Bones and the remaining Wizengamot members who were advising her had a handle on the legal situation, they determined that the existing laws were sufficient to give the former Minister a trial. This was held publicly in the Wizengamot chamber, which had to be enlarged just to hold enough people to avoid additional riots. Each day of the trial there was a lottery to see who would be able to sit in the spectators' gallery. While this didn't make everyone happy, there was a general feeling that it was at least fairer than just being first come, first served. This was further reinforced by the fact that on the second day several journalists were excluded from the gallery, having failed to arrive early enough to reserve press seats and then not being picked by the lottery.

The trial itself lasted nearly the first two weeks of December, during which many people testified about various things Fudge had said or done during his time as Minister. Much of this testimony was the variety that was subject to interpretation, and could have gone either way, but there were three people whose testimony gave sufficient context to convince the jury to convict: Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter, and Lucius Malfoy.

While reluctant to testify, Dumbledore had agreed to it only after being threatened with an investigation into his own activities as Chief Warlock and Headmaster of Hogwarts. He knew he was already on thin ice with the Queen, and that his tenure as Headmaster was likely coming to a close, and worried that he might find himself not only losing his job, but also whatever he had left of his reputation and even his freedom. Still, he limited his testimony to the direct facts, refusing to speculate on Fudge's motives, while at the same time not leaving much wiggle room for Fudge's barrister to exploit.

Harry was called to testify the fifth day of the trial, and after overcoming his reluctance to speak publicly, he didn't hold anything back. He'd spent the previous day working with Sirius's Magical solicitor to go over what he would say, and in the end he said it all. Starting with his first experience with the Minister taking Hagrid away to Azkaban because the Ministry had "to be seen to be doing something," he then explained about the Minister's refusal to even consider the possibility of Sirius's innocence at the end of third year, which nearly saw his godfather Kissed. Next, he recounted the Minister's reaction to Harry saying Voldemort was back, along with having Barty Crouch Jr. Kissed before he could be interrogated while calling it, "No loss." Finally, he explained about his trial and the events that led to the revocation of the Wizarding Charter that had led to this trial in the first place. By the time he stepped down, it was clear to all that even under the best of interpretations, Fudge's actions were highly questionable.

But it was the final witness that removed any question about Fudge's guilt. Lucius Malfoy, under very heavy guard, was brought in to testify as to the various times he had influenced the Minister in one way or another. Rather than having Malfoy testify directly, the transcripts of his interrogations that had been reduced to only those events relevant to Fudge's trial were introduced as evidence. Fudge's barrister was then permitted to cross-examine Malfoy in an attempt to discredit those transcripts. It unfortunately backfired when Malfoy, in a fit of pique, admonished Fudge for being so stupid as to get caught. Nothing he said after that made any difference in anyone's opinion, and he was quickly excused. What nobody at the trial realized at that time was that it would be the last time Lucius Malfoy would be seen alive in Wizarding Britain.

It was the morning of the second-to-last day of the trial, the day Fudge himself was set to take the witness chair in his own defense, that the news broke about the hanging of the convicted Death Eaters, along with former Senior Undersecretary Umbridge. This caused the first of two incidents during that one week, and many of the same people who were upset about their initial conviction and sentencing chose to vent their displeasure again with the same results as before. There were even a few minor incidents of people attempting to disrupt the trial, but they were also dealt with quickly, and received similar sentences of community service and education when they were eventually tried themselves.

This event also led to some serious concerns about Fudge's possible penalty, as it was looking more and more like he was going to be convicted of at least something when the trial concluded. However, their concerns were assuaged quickly, as shortly after the Death Eaters were hung, the Queen announced a moratorium on the death penalty. She also announced that she was beginning the process to have it repealed altogether, which went a long way to calming some of the unspoken fears that had been raised by the executions. It was this last step, the elimination of the death penalty combined with the effective removal of the dementors from Azkaban that led to a shocking reversal from Fudge.

Rather than testifying in his own defense, he had his barrister broker an agreement that he would plead guilty to about half the charges in exchange for limits on the maximum sentence he could get. It took nearly a day and a half of wrangling, but in the end, Fudge publicly admitted guilt to multiple counts of misfeasance in public office, receiving bribes, and perverting the course of justice. In exchange for his guilty plea, he was sentenced to a minimum of five, and maximum of fifteen years in Azkaban, along with a hefty fine totalling nearly all of his assets.

After the guilty plea and sentence was announced, there were large demonstrations in the Ministry atrium and Diagon Alley, as many people disagreed with some part of the result or another. While the demonstrations were mostly peaceful, there were occasional clashes between supporters of Fudge who felt the trial and/or sentence was too harsh, and those who felt that the former Minister had gotten off lightly for everything he'd done. In the end the only arrests were actually of people who had drunk too much and gotten rowdy, rather than just demonstrating, and they were all given reasonable fines and a night in a cell to sleep it off.

* * *

The fourth and final incident was the most violent, but in the end it had far-reaching positive consequences that nobody could have foreseen. It all started with the Ministry's pilot program to protect werewolves and the public from each other by securing werewolves during the full moon in exchange for giving them the same rights as Wizards during the rest of the month. While it took several months to get the major details worked out, once they were announced the program proved so popular among the werewolves that it could not be expanded quickly enough to secure all of the volunteers each month. Combined with the fact that many wizards were slow to accept the idea of werewolf rights and it inevitably led to a confrontation on the steps of the Ministry between a couple dozen members of each side just after the first full moon of the new year.

Before the Aurors could sufficiently intervene to break things up, seven werewolves and three wizards had been seriously injured, along with numerous lesser injuries on both sides. Amazingly, it had been the werewolves who showed more restraint in dealing with their foes than the wizards, and while two of them had ultimately been sentenced to several months in prison, they had both pled guilty rather than forcing a trial. On the Wizarding side, six people were awaiting trial on battery charges, while two more were being held for attempted murder; the latter two having cast cutting curses at their opponents' necks, and only luck and a thick skin had saved the victims.

The fact that the wizards had been determined to be the attackers, along with the werewolves who were charged with crimes taking responsibility for them immediately, started the process of changing the minds of all but the most recalcitrant members of the Magical community. But it was what unexpectedly happened after the next full moon that really swayed public opinion towards the new Werewolf Protection Act.

When it became clear that the Ministry was serious about helping werewolves out in exchange for nothing more than ensuring that they were prevented from spreading their curse during the full moon, the packs in Great Britain realized that this was what they had all been wanting: a chance to be a part of normal society rather than being ostracized. While they were still cautious, as was reasonable, they had all sent representatives to enroll in the pilot program, and then sent more when it became clear that the early representatives were not just participants, but also were helping to shape things to work better for the werewolves. By the end of the year, the packs had nearly unanimously voted to support the new Ministry initiative, and those who voted against it mostly did so to try and slow things down rather than actually opposing them. With one exception: Fenrir Greyback.

Greyback was a proponent of forcing the Ministry into submission rather than working with them, and nobody who knew him was surprised when he spoke passionately (and violently) against cooperation with them. Greyback had always been a fan of violence for the sake of violence, not to mention having a nearly incurable lust for turning others into werewolves to further increase the strength of the pack. For years he had ruled not just his own pack but many of the others, daring anyone to oppose him and putting them down violently when they did. But now, with their ultimate objective not just within reach but actively being promoted, members of every pack were openly defying him in sufficient numbers that he couldn't just kill them off to cow the rest into submission.

Faced with the near-certainty of losing what little grasp he still retained of his position as alpha, and emboldened by the confrontation between werewolves and wizards that had just recently occurred, he attacked and kidnapped several of the more prominent participants in the Ministry's pilot program, hoping that the Ministry's promised response of hunting down program violators would convince the rest of the pack that the Ministry couldn't be trusted. Instead, the packs took it as the ultimate proof that Greyback was refusing to put the good of the pack before his own desires, and banded together to do something about it.

 _ **Daily Prophet – Wednesday 7 February, 1996**_

 _GREYBACK DEAD - BODY DUMPED IN MINISTRY LOBBY  
Barnabas Cuffe, Editor_

 _In a shocking turn of events, the body of Fenrir Greyback, the notorious werewolf and supporter of the late You-Know-Who, was dumped in the lobby of the Ministry of Magic sometime before 6am yesterday morning. Along with the body was a note, which we have been granted permission to reprint for the most part below:_

 _ **To the Ministry of Magic and the wizards of Great Britain,**_

 _ **For many years, we have struggled to be accepted on even the fringes of Magical society, a struggle that seemed to be impossible to win without much violence and bloodshed. When the new Werewolf Protection Act was announced, we were skeptical and sent a handful of representatives to investigate, preparing for the worst. Instead, we found a Ministry that was not only willing to help us, but asked us to help them find a way to make things work for everyone while keeping the public safe. As a result, we came to realize that the Ministry's offering not only gave us what we had been struggling for, but did so in a way that would not require violence to accomplish. While there certainly have been individual werewolves who reveled in violence, the majority of the packs do not, and so we did what we could to help this program flourish. After all, despite our affliction some of us do have families, and want nothing more than to see our children grow up in safety and prosperity.**_

 _ **Unfortunately, the pack Alpha, Fenrir Greyback, didn't see things the same way, and tried to convince us to abandon the program. When this failed, he kidnapped several members of the pilot program just before they were to report for the full moon, in the hopes that the Ministry's response would cause fear and anger among the packs and force them to see things his way. In doing so, he not only endangered the pack, but the entire werewolf population of Great Britain, while showing that his only loyalty is to himself and not his pack. This is not something we could accept.**_

 _ **After the full moon, we, the elders of the packs of Great Britain, [met] and rendered judgment: for placing his own lust for violence over the safety of the pack, Fenrir Greyback was named traitor and expelled from all packs in Great Britain. When informed of the packs' judgment, he responded with violence, which was unfortunately expected, and so he was put down to ensure the safety of the packs. This same fate awaits any werewolf who chooses violence over peace, belligerence over cooperation, or otherwise risks the safety of the packs.**_

 _ **We know that if we do not police our own, the Ministry will do it for us. Thus we, the combined members of the werewolf packs of Great Britain, present you with the body of the notorious criminal Fenrir Greyback as proof of our intentions. May his passing bring a measure of peace to those whose lives have been impacted by his malevolent behavior, and allow us to move forward into a new era of cooperation and accord.**_

 _The letter was signed by the elders of each werewolf pack in Great Britain, along with the names of several members of the Ministry's pilot program. At the request of the Ministry due to the ongoing investigation, we will not publish the names, nor the location at which they met. However an unnamed Ministry official stated that they do not believe any charges will stem from this incident, given Greyback's reputation for violence and prior activities for which the Ministry was never able to capture him._

 _Regardless of how or why it happened, we at the Prophet are glad that this menace is no longer free to prey on the innocent, and we thank the werewolf packs of Great Britain for doing us all a service. We hope that this spirit of cooperation continues and that the benefits of the Werewolf Protection Act will soon be available to all who want them._

With the death and public repudiation of Greyback the general opinion of werewolves in Wizarding Britain shifted from suspicious and mildly hostile, at best, to cautiously optimistic. There were still plenty of complaints along the lines of "First Muggleborn, now werewolves. Who's next? House-elves?" But in general they rarely encountered werewolves, and those who did deal with weres began to look past the condition and see the people behind them. The fact that many werewolves had begun their lives as pure- or half-blood wizards may have played a small part in their acceptance, but if so nobody talked about it.


	40. Epilogue 6: Albus Dumbledore

_Originally Posted 9/7/16, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 ** **Disclaimer:**** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Epilogue 6: Albus Dumbledore**

Albus Dumbledore sat behind his desk as Headmaster for the very last time. School had been out for a week now, and today would be the day he stepped down and handed the reins of his beloved Hogwarts to someone else. The fact that he still didn't know who that someone else was bothered him, but he'd had to live with that for nearly a year now, so he'd at least gotten used to being bothered by it.

The one thing he did know was that it wouldn't be his choice of successor; Minerva McGonagall had made it clear on several occasions that while she would be honored to take over as Headmistress, she had been told that it wasn't going to be her who replaced him. While she hadn't said it outright, she had hinted several times that she did know who it was going to be, but she wasn't telling anyone. And while not knowing was killing him inside, he knew better than to pry any further. A year ago he wouldn't have had any second thoughts about doing so, but after his total dismantling at the hands of Her Majesty he had finally learned his lesson.

It had been a rather hard lesson to learn, but in the end the overwhelming amount of evidence presented to him had finally overcome his own mental inertia. The fact that he had been so wrong, about so many things, still weighed on him though he was slowly learning to let them go. His interpretation of the prophecy; his placement of Harry with his relatives; his treatment of Harry, along with many other students over the years; his failure to try to push a friendlier agenda towards non-Magicals (not Muggles - he was still getting used to that one too). All things that he had resisted admitting to himself, but in hindsight were true.

And then there was his greatest mistake, one he'd never fully admitted to anyone lest he be damned even more than he was. He had been certain the Voldemort had made Horcruxes, up until the moment when the Queen had told him the the prophecy had been fulfilled. Even then, it wasn't until Mister Adlington had provided him with Croaker's explanation for the diary that he was willing to let it go, despite his relief in being able to do so. But the worst part was that he had begun to wonder if Harry's scar might also be a Horcrux, and that the only way to defeat Voldemort forever would have been for Harry to die. No, he would never admit it to anyone else, even as he could finally admit to himself how glad he was to be wrong in this case.

Shaking himself from his reverie, he took one last look around the Headmaster's office, taking in the portraits and other things that would remain after he left. He'd still get to see them on occasion, as he was remaining on staff as Professor Emeritus, but all of the things that had made this _his_ office were now gone, never to return. " _Perhaps it's for the best,_ " he mused, but didn't get any further as there was a knock at the door.

"Enter," he called out, as he sat back and watched the door in anticipation.

The door opened to reveal Professor McGonagall, followed by a rather familiar face. While not someone he could call a friend, he'd seen them quite a bit over the past year as changes were made to Magical Britain, including Hogwarts.

"Headmaster Dumbledore," said McGonagall, "may I present the new Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Sir Charles Adlington."

Dumbledore raised one eyebrow as he stood and extended a hand. "Welcome, Sir Charles, I must admit you're not who I expected. Congratulations on your appointment as Headmaster, and if I may add, your recent knighthood." He knew it had to be recent, as he'd last seen him three weeks ago and there had been no mention of "Sir" at the time.

"Thank you, Professor," replied Sir Charles. "I must admit I was surprised by both, though I've known about the former for a few months now. And while I think we both agree it's time for a change here, I'm very glad you've agreed to stay on both to mentor me and to teach. As much as we may disagree on politics, I've never questioned your wealth of knowledge or skill as a teacher. I think it's safe to say that as long as you keep the politics to a minimum, you're welcome to keep teaching as long as you like."

Dumbledore nodded and said, "Thank you," accepting the both compliment and warning for what they were. "Please, have a seat, we have much to discuss so I can hand control over to you properly. Minerva, will you be retaining Deputy Headmistress duties?"

McGonagall looked at Sir Charles, who nodded and said, "I have no problem with that. If you wish to give them up, I'll try to find someone else. Otherwise, they're still yours."

"Thank you," she said, "I think I'd like that. It will also give the students some more continuity, given all the other changes that are happening here."

"An excellent point, Minerva," said Dumbledore, "and one I agree with. Since you will be continuing as Deputy Headmistress, I think you should remain here both to witness the changeover and to help me in case I miss anything."

At Sir Charles's agreement, they both took seats opposite Dumbledore's desk. She was surprised when he conjured a third chair in front of the desk and sat there, rather than returning to behind it, but didn't say anything.

"Sir Charles," said Dumbledore, "may I ask you a question before we begin the transition?" When Sir Charles nodded, Dumbledore continued, "Why did you accept the appointment as Headmaster? I would think it's a step down from being Her Majesty's Chief Wizard."

McGonagall looked concerned at Dumbledore's question, but Sir Charles just smiled. "It is, in some ways, but in others it's quite a step up. And I understand your concern, Albus; you want to make sure I'm here for the children and not just for myself. Am I right?"

Dumbledore nodded. He knew it had the potential to be taken the wrong way, and was glad to see that Sir Charles hadn't.

"It's a fair question," said Sir Charles, "and one that even I'm not one hundred percent clear on the answer. At its simplest, it just felt right. I've spent the better part of the last year helping Governor General Bones get Magical Britain back on track politically, and while I'm thrilled that I got to be a part of it, I'm also tired of dealing with it. There's something exhausting about dealing with grown men and women who act like children any time you bring up something they don't want to deal with. Something I'm sure you've dealt with for longer than I have, come to think of it."

Dumbledore chuckled, thinking back to his time in politics. "Yes, I have, though I have to admit you've probably pushed them a lot harder than I ever did."

Sir Charles nodded to acknowledge Dumbledore's admission, but didn't mention it further. "Anyways, when Her Majesty first approached me about taking over as Headmaster, I wasn't sure I wanted it. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that while I'd still be dealing with people acting like children, at least these would be actual children. Plus, this would give me a chance to try and guide them to be adults who won't act like children under similar circumstances when they grow up. My other concern was whether Andrew was ready to take over as Chief Wizard, but Her Majesty convinced me to give him the chance if he wanted it, and he did. I think the fact that there are now much closer ties to the Magical World gave him the confidence that he'd be able to get help if he needed it."

Dumbledore smiled and nodded. "Thank you for indulging an old man's curiosity. And for what it's worth, I think Her Majesty has made a good choice. Even if you decide this isn't the place for you in the long term, right now I think you're just what Hogwarts needs to help teach our Magical children about our new world. Shall we get down to business?"

* * *

"I think that's all we have time for today, but we can pick up this discussion next week. Enjoy your weekend!" said Albus Dumbledore, Professor Emeritus, to his seventh-year Alchemy class. He was rewarded with several moans of, "Aww..." before someone lamented, "just as it was getting good!" He chuckled at his students' interest, and replied, "Have patience, Mister Belby, I promise that there will be plenty of time throughout the year to explore both the subject at hand and these side stories you seem to enjoy so much. Now, off with you all or you'll be late for your next class!"

He waited patiently as the students left his last class of the week, sitting back down behind his desk as the door to the classroom closed. "What a difference a year makes," he thought to himself, reflecting on the changes in his life. A year ago he'd still been Headmaster, but in many ways in name only. There were changes being forced upon both him and Hogwarts by the newly reestablished Queen, and while he had grudgingly accepted them, he still hadn't truly embraced them at the time.

Now, however, he was no longer Headmaster, and while he was still getting used to the changes, the fact that they were no longer his problem had been truly freeing with regards to accepting them. Or, he mused to himself, perhaps the fact that he wasn't in charge any more made it easy to just let go and not worry about them. Either way, stepping down as Headmaster had allowed him to rediscover the joy of teaching, and after only four weeks of classes he was certain he had made the right decision.

When he was first asked to step down, he had assumed that Minerva would be promoted in his place, as she had been his deputy for many years. Thus he had been surprised and dismayed to find out that she was not even in consideration, even if she herself had accepted it gracefully. That surprise had turned to shock when he was first asked to stay on as Professor Emeritus; he had reasonably assumed that he was being forced out, and would not be allowed to remain at Hogwarts after he had stepped down. But after some discussion, he had agreed to remain and teach N.E.W.T. Transfiguration, along with a new Alchemy elective for which there was no N.E.W.T. test yet. At the same time, he would be available to the new Headmaster should they have any questions, passing on his institutional knowledge as it came up.

The one thing that had been made very clear to him was that he would have no say in setting policy, enforcing discipline outside of his classes, or in any way making decisions about what happened at the school. He'd been worried it would be hard at first, but between his Emeritus status and not being invited to most of the staff meetings had made it much easier than he'd expected. And so, he'd effectively been pushed off to the side, allowed to do nothing but teach and interact with the students in public settings.

Fortunately, to his immense joy, he'd found that teaching more than filled the void he'd experienced when he first stepped down. In his role as Headmaster, not to mention the Chief Warlock and Supreme Mugwump positions he'd held for many years after the defeat of Grindelwald, he'd rarely had much interaction with the students outside of disciplinary situations, and he'd forgotten how much fun it was to just teach young minds eager to learn. And so he'd quickly embraced it, his few classes quickly becoming a favorite among his students. And now, less than a month later, he could honestly say to anyone, himself included, that he was happier than he'd ever expected he would be.

He was interrupted from his thoughts by a knock on the door, before it opened and the new Headmaster came in. "Good afternoon, Headmaster," he said as he organized the few scattered papers on his desk. "What can I do for you?"

"Good afternoon, Albus," responded Sir Charles. "I figured I'd see how your classes were going, now that you have almost a month under your belt. From what I've heard, they certainly seem to be going well."

"I was just thinking about that, and I can honestly say that I had forgotten how much I enjoyed teaching rather than administrating. It really is a privilege to shape young minds towards their future."

Sir Charles gave him a pointed look and said, "I do hope you're sticking to the class material, and not venturing into areas we'd agreed to avoid."

Dumbledore raised his hands in surrender. "No, nothing like that. I'm talking about how the children in my classes are here because they want to be. They want to learn the subjects I'm teaching, rather than having to learn it because it's core curriculum. I will admit to going off on the occasional tangent here and there, but it's all related to the topic at hand, and in some cases makes the subject that much more interesting for all of us. Why, we just had a most enjoyable discussion about how Golpalott discovered his laws this last period, to the point that several students were disappointed when the period was over. I'm sure some more difficult topics will come up at some point or another, but I have no intention of raising them myself. The past four weeks has shown me that despite all the changes over the past year, there's still a place for me at Hogwarts if I want it, and I most certainly do."

Sir Charles relaxed and nodded. From what he'd heard, Dumbledore's classes were possibly the most well liked by any of the sixth and seventh years, and he really did have a wealth of knowledge to share with those interested in the subjects he taught. "I'm glad to hear it," he said when Dumbledore finished speaking. "I will admit to having had my concerns about you remaining in the castle, but thus far they've been proven unfounded."

"Truthfully, I shared those concerns, but not anymore. Between the steps you've taken to minimize my ability to overstep my authority, and my newly rediscovered love of teaching, I think I'm learning to just let it go and not worry about all the changes that are happening around me. I may never truly embrace them, but I think I can at least keep out of the way and let them happen."

Sir Charles smiled, and said, "And I would be more than satisfied with that. Change is hard, and the older we get the harder it is to change. The fact that you're willing to try is good enough for me, and Her Majesty. I wasn't going to even raise this for another month or so, but given your attitude I think I'm willing to take the chance and do it a bit sooner. I still think it best for you to skip the bi-weekly staff meetings in general, but I'd like you to come once a month as an observer and share your insight on the students in your classes if appropriate. Let's start with the meeting on the 12th, and every four weeks thereafter. Will that work for you?"

Dumbledore nodded, his eyes shining as he was unable to come up with any words to express his surprise and gratitude. He finally stood and extended his hand to Sir Charles. "I'd like that very much, Headmaster. Thank you."

Sir Charles shook Dumbledore's hand and smiled. Maybe you couldn't teach an old dog new tricks, but if you could convince the old dog to teach others, he wouldn't mind them so much.


	41. Epilogue 7: The Ministry of Magic (P2)

_Originally Posted 9/9/16, last revised_ _ _10/27_ /16._

 ** **Disclaimer:**** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Epilogue 7: The Ministry of Magic (Part 2)**

 **Wednesday, 1** **October, 1997**

It had been over two years since Her Majesty the Queen had graced the halls of the Ministry of Magic, but this time her presence was both expected and welcome. Over the past year the Crown Wizards' office, along with Governor General Bones and the partially reconstituted Wizengamot, had been working on a new Wizarding Charter and the time had come to make it official. While it would not completely go into effect until the new year, once signed Magical Britain could begin the process of rebuilding the Ministry and the Wizengamot in preparation for when it did. If nothing else, elections would need to be held, for both the new Minister and to fill the remaining seats on the Wizengamot. But first, the Charter had to be signed, and for that there was to be an elaborate ceremony in the Wizengamot Chambers where the previous Charter had been revoked.

In the days prior to the ceremony, the entire Ministry had undergone a security sweep in a manner similar to when the Queen had first taken over the Wizarding Britain, but this time the sole focus was on ensuring that Her Majesty would be safe during her visit. Now, accompanied by a squad of MMS soldiers, and knowing that there were several others spread throughout the building, she made her way from the Crown Ambassador's office down to the chamber where once again her Chief Wizard had taken control of the wards. But whereas her previous visit had been met by disbelief and anger, she now entered to polite applause, though some of it was clearly less enthusiastic than others.

The chamber was full, and contained what was probably the widest variety of attendees it had ever held. In addition to the current members of the Wizengamot, there were representatives of every department in the Ministry including a large Auror contingent providing security. Assisting the Aurors were a group from the MMS along with a smaller number of Crown Wizards, including the relatively new Chief Wizard, Andrew Halford. Filling the gallery were a dozen or so members of the press, as well as several hundred lucky members of the public who had won seats for the ceremony in a lottery similar to the one used for Fudge's trial.

But the most astonishing group were the representatives of other Magical species, who were seated in a VIP section on the far side of the Wizengamot seats. Present for the ceremony were the Assistant Director of Gringotts and his assistant, four Elder members of the werewolf packs, and two house-elves. Of the latter, one wore the house-elf uniform that had been instituted for the house-elves at Hogwarts, while the other wore a more traditional tea-cozy, albeit a fresh clean one. These represented the groups to whom the Governor General, at the behest of the Queen, had already begun improving relations with in some way or another. And while there was by no means universal agreement on doing so, the Queen had invited their representatives to witness the signing of the Charter, and so they were here.

After settling everyone down, Governor General Bones gave a brief welcome speech before turning the floor over to the Queen. Standing in front of the assembled members of the Ministry, the press, and the public, she inwardly nodded to herself and began to speak. "Citizens of the United Magical Kingdom of Great Britain, today marks a great day in our history, a day we, but especially you, have worked towards for the past two years. When we first learned of the true state of our Magical realm, we were very disappointed to hear of the great injustices that pervaded its society. Though there was much wonder to behold in it, there was also great strife and inequality, much of which was entrenched in its institutions. It was because of these great injustices that we were forced to act, and reclaim our authority by revoking the Wizarding Charter of Great Britain and taking direct control over our Magical government.

"Since that day, we, along with our duly appointed representatives, have worked to right the wrongs, remedy the injustices, and build the foundation for a better Magical society for all. Today we are happy to say that not only have our goals for the past two years been achieved, but they have been well and truly exceeded beyond all expectations. While there is still much to do, you, the people of Magical Britain, have embraced many of the changes that have been asked of you and given us great hope for the future of all our subjects whether they be Magical or not. As a reward for your accomplishments, we are proud to offer a new Wizarding Charter that will return much of the autonomy to Magical Britain while ensuring that we do not drift apart as people or societies, and that the previous problems cannot happen again.

"As a part of those measures, there will be three groups working to ensure that the lines of communication between the Magical and non-Magical worlds remain open. First, we are officially reopening the Crown Ambassador's office; the ambassador and their staff will be available to everyone, be they Ministry workers or members of the public, and will also help to facilitate coordination of governmental resources between the two sides. They will be aided by the former Muggle Liaison Office, which will be renamed the Non-Magical Liaison Office in accordance with our directives. Second, the Minister of Magic will report to the non-Magical Prime Minister on a regular basis, and a sub-department under the Minister will be responsible for coordinating intelligence briefings on both sides so that neither side is kept unaware of what is happening. Finally, the Governor General's office will remain in place, and take on a role similar to that held in our other territories. They will report directly to us, and will speak for us in all matters unless we choose to make our own voice heard directly.

"We know that change is hard, and we appreciate all that you have already done, and will continue to do, to make Magical Britain a better place. It is in recognition of your hard work and dedication to embracing our rule that we grant you, the people of the United Magical Kingdom of Great Britain, the Wizarding Charter of 1997!" The applause from the crowd started slowly, then picked up steam as the majority of the people joined in.

After a moment to let it die down, the Queen walked over to the table that was set up nearby and sat, before picking up the quill that had been placed there and using it to sign the new Charter. After a moment she stood back up and handed the quill to Governor General Bones, who sat and signed the Charter as a witness for Magical Britain. There was then a brief procession as the current remaining members of the Wizengamot signed the document as well, each witnessing it to add further acceptance by the populace. Once everyone had signed it, Governor General Bones tapped it with her wand twice, creating two copies. She rolled up the original, which she handed to the Queen, then gave one copy to the head of the goblin delegation to be stored in the Ministry vault, and kept one for herself.

Bowing to the Queen, Governor General Bones said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your generosity." The Queen simply nodded in response, then motioned for Governor General Bones to address the crowd.

Bowing again, she turned to the crowd and announced, "While the new Charter will not take full effect until the first of January, 1998, we have almost three months to start the process of holding to its requirements. The first, and foremost of them being the election of a new Minister of Magic, as well as filling the remaining twenty-eight seats on the Wizengamot. Elections will be held ten weeks from today, and every citizen of Magical Britain who has reached the age of majority will be permitted to vote. Anyone wishing to run for either office must file the required paperwork with the Ministry Election Office no later than seven weeks from today. Copies of the Charter, along with the rules for both becoming a candidate and how to campaign, will be published in tomorrow's Prophet, which will be made freely available for everyone. Additional copies of all official documents can be obtained from either the Election Office or the Ministry Archives, also starting tomorrow.

"I along with several members of the Wizengamot and the Crown Wizard's office will be available to the press for questions once Her Majesty has departed. I ask that you all remain seated until she has done so, so that we can avoid any accidents." Turning back to the Queen, she bowed, and most of the VIPs did so as well.

The Queen nodded, acknowledging their bows, before gathering herself and turning to her entourage. They began the process of leading her out and back to the Crown Ambassador's office, and from there to the Palace. She never set foot in the Ministry of Magic again, but if you asked the people who worked there, her presence was felt, in one way or another, from that day forward.

* * *

Six weeks later, having been convinced by a great number of people both inside the Ministry and out, Madam Bones announced her candidacy for the position of Minister of Magic. Upon doing so it became clear that her election was all but assured, as no other candidate came close to reaching a consensus vote. There were a few newcomers to the public eye who tossed their name into the ring on a lark, but all but one of the remaining candidates came from one of two camps: The old-school purebloods who wanted to find ways to put things back to being as close to the way they were as possible, and more moderate businessmen who were finding the new economic climate more to their liking, but had no real experience with public service.

The final candidate and only real opposition came from within the Ministry, as one of her Senior Aurors and more recently the head of the DMLE, Rufus Scrimgeour, had announced his candidacy early on. In fact, it was not wanting to run against him that initially stayed her hand in jumping in herself, but over the previous month she had been told by many people that they would prefer her over him, at least at the top. Scrimgeour was a good Auror, and a competent administrator, but even she had to admit that he lacked some of the softer qualities needed in dealing with politics. She had no doubt he would have been an acceptable Minister, but he would have likely engaged in verbal combat with the Wizengamot rather than working with them and convincing them of his arguments.

The only problem with running for the Minister's office was that she had to step down from the Governor General's post before officially filing the paperwork. She delayed doing so until just before the deadline in order to give Her Majesty a chance to appoint a replacement, but even then a single week wasn't very long. The solution, it turned out, was both elegant and controversial at the same time. Major French had already announced his intention to retire from the British Army at the end of the year, and thus was already transitioning leadership of the MMS to the newly promoted Major Lee. After some discussion, despite not being a wizard himself, he agreed to take the position as a stepping stone to his retirement until a proper long-term replacement could be decided on.

There was a brief kerfuffle over his appointment in the press, but things settled down when Madam Bones pointed out that the newly signed Charter explicitly stated that the Queen could appoint anyone she chose, as well as the fact that as her direct representative any actions against him might be seen as an attack on the Queen. The latter was hammered home by articles reminding Magical Britain of what had happened to Umbridge for her attack on the Queen, as well as stationing a rotating guard of the MMS to protect him. That the MMS gave a very public, and very well press-covered demonstration of exactly what they were capable of may have also influenced some of the more vocal opponents, though nobody admitted it publicly. Governor General French, in turn, did his best to keep a low profile, letting the wheels of government keep turning and only putting in his two cents when asked, or if he thought of something during his morning briefings. After all, his job would become mostly ceremonial in just over six weeks, and barring any unexpected major events, things could mostly run themselves without him rocking the boat.

* * *

On the evening of New Year's Day, 1998, Amelia Bones sat behind her new desk in the Minister of Magic's office for the first time, thinking back on everything that had led up to her being there. Less than two and a half years earlier, she had been the hamstrung head of the DMLE, trying to determine if there was any truth to the rumors that Voldemort had somehow returned, and having to do so clandestinely in order to not arouse the ire of then Minister Cornelius Fudge. Now, she was in the position he had once occupied while he was sitting in prison, serving a five-to-fifteen year sentence for corruption and misconduct in public office.

It had all begun with the trial of Harry Potter, and the subsequent revocation of the Wizarding Charter, something she hadn't even know was possible. And then, to the shock of everyone, the Queen, a non-Magical, had appeared and taken control of everything. But the end result was better than anything she had even imagined possible, and she was proud of her part in making it happen.

Despite being a pureblood herself, she had never bought into the bigotry many of her peers embraced, and it had worked in her favor when the revolution came. The Wizengamot, once a pureblood institution dedicated to keeping all others out, was now composed of a mix of all types, including many who had been elected rather than appointed or inheriting their seats. The Ministry of Magic, which had once done everything it could to advance purebloods above all others regardless of their capabilities, was now a relatively even playing field. There were still a few places where nepotism could be found, but now it was based on individual relationships, rather than institutional practices, and there were also safeguards in place to ensure anyone who proved incapable of doing their job could, and would, be removed. First-generation wizards and witches were still rare, but this had more to do with the fact that most of those who were old enough to work in the Ministry had already given up on it, and there had only been two graduating classes from Hogwarts since the rules had changed. Still, the Ministry had started recruiting first-generation seventh-years, and it was expected that the numbers would naturally increase as time went on.

There had also been great strides in making things better for people outside of the Ministry. First-generation Magicals were now welcomed into the community as soon as they were old enough to keep its secrets. No more getting your Hogwarts letter and having to guess your way through the rest of the process; now, entire families of first-gen wizards and witches were given orientation tours months or even years before their children would go off to school. The fact that this brought in more commerce and boosted the economy had significantly helped the acceptance of these newcomers, as they helped reduce the impact of the new laws requiring shops to charge the same no matter who was buying.

The werewolves were now also beginning to be accepted into society as a whole. While there was still some fear among the general populace, the program of providing werewolves with Wolfsbane Potion and a secure location on the nights of the full moon had proven to be wildly successful. In addition to nearly all of the known werewolf population of Britain participating in the program in some way or another, several other countries had begun adopting it as well, with the early results proving just as positive. In fact, there were less than a dozen known cases of new werewolves being turned in the last two years, and at least two of them could be attributed to the late Fenrir Greyback shortly before his death at the hands of his own brethren.

But the biggest change had been the overall tone of life in Magical Britain. Prior to the Crown taking over, life had gone on with business as usual, but there was an undercurrent of unhappiness and worry towards the future. The haves had, and the have-nots didn't, and with very few exceptions there wasn't much of an opportunity to change that. Now, business was booming, people were more optimistic about the future, and most importantly they saw the new Ministry as a leader rather than an impediment, or worse, an overlord. While things still took time to change, change was now possible, and despite the uncertainty it carried people were starting to think of change as a potentially good thing rather than a bad thing.

She was interrupted from her reflections by a knock on her door frame, as her successor as Governor General surprised her by sticking his head into her office. "Good evening, Minister Bones, I do hope you aren't planning to stay too late tonight."

"And good evening to you, Governor General French," she replied. "No, I'm mostly just taking in the office now that it's officially mine. If I may ask, what are you doing here?"

The former commander of the MMS nodded with an understanding smile and said, "I can understand. I did the same thing when I first took my last post. But enough woolgathering, I have a message for you from Her Majesty that I wanted to deliver personally, and I had a feeling I might just find you here."

Madam Bones sat up, uncertain of what was coming. "Very well, please continue."

"Her Majesty wishes for me to extend her congratulations on your inauguration as Minister of Magic for the United Magical Kingdom of Great Britain, and that she expects you will do a better job of it than your predecessor, given your recent track record."

Madam Bones smiled and nodded despite understanding the implied warning from the Queen. "Please extend my thanks to Her Majesty, and inform her that I intend to do just that," she replied. She then stood, looking around the office once more before heading towards the door. "And with that, Governor General, I believe it's time to go back home and celebrate the new year some more."

The Governor General nodded, saying "A capital idea, Minister. Good night."

"Good night," replied Amelia, before heading off to the Minister's private lift while the Governor General turned and walked the other direction towards his office and his own private Floo connection.


	42. Epilogue 8: Harry & Hogwarts

_Originally Posted 9/12/16, last revised 10/27/16._

 ** **Disclaimer:**** I don't own Harry Potter, and while I've never met her and am not one of her subjects, I have nothing but respect for the Queen. Information about British law and letters to and from the Queen comes from online research and is accurate to the best of my knowledge.

 **Epilogue 8: Harry & Hogwarts**

As Harry Potter sat near the head of the Gryffindor table, waiting for the start-of-term feast to begin his sixth year, he looked over the newly expanded tables in the Great Hall making a note of all the new teachers. In addition to most of the familiar teachers at the staff table, there were several new teachers there, as well as scattered around the rest of the tables in the great hall. The new Heads of House were seated at the far end of the house tables, waiting to greet the newly sorted first years who were being led into the hall by Professor McGonagall.

The only one missing, Harry realized, was the Headmaster. Just as he thought that, he realized that wasn't quite true; Professor Dumbledore had announced his retirement at the end of last year, but no formal announcement of his replacement had been made yet, at least not that he'd heard. As the first years finished filing in, the door to the anteroom off the Great Hall opened, and to his shock Professor Dumbledore walked out and up to the front of the dais.

"Welcome," he started, "welcome to another year at Hogwarts. I know many of you are surprised to see me here, as, admittedly am I." He chuckled and many others in the hall did too, used to the Professor's odd sense of humor. "I announced at the end of last year that I was retiring as Headmaster, and I have. I will be remaining here at Hogwarts as Professor Emeritus, teaching a couple of advanced classes and assisting the new Headmaster on occasion. As such, he has asked me to come out here and introduce him; while I formally handed the school over to him this past summer, I now do so in front of all of you, so that there will be no question about who is in charge. Please give a warm welcome to the new Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Sir Charles Adlington!"

Harry stared in shock as Sir Charles stepped out of the anteroom and walked over to Dumbledore, shaking hands before turning to face the students. After a moment he recovered and joined the applause, which had started slowly but picked up as more people joined in. He made a mental note to ask Sir Charles about when this had been decided, as he hadn't said anything when Harry had last seen him at Sir Charles's Knighting ceremony.

As the applause settled down, Harry noticed Dumbledore retreat back to the staff table, taking a seat on the end. He knew that the former Headmaster had been mostly pushed aside by the new Magical society, but it was still a stark contrast to his former position at the center of the table. He turned back to the new Headmaster, who had started speaking about some of the changes to the school this year.

Fortunately for everyone he kept his speech short, just touching on several things to pay attention to and announcing that classes would not begin until Tuesday to give everyone a chance to meet the new staff and learn about the changes in detail. It wasn't until the first years were sorted that it struck home just how much things were changing at Hogwarts, when not one but two Muggleborns were sorted into Slytherin, and welcomed openly by their new Head of House (if not the students).

* * *

The next three days had been eye-opening for students and staff alike. The biggest and most obvious change had been the number of teachers and other staff, along with the way that classes were going to be handled. As had first been announced when they returned from Christmas break the previous year, the Heads of House were no longer teachers; they were full-time staff assigned to work with the students in their houses and try to resolve problems before they escalated. Additionally, they now lived in apartments directly connected to the House common rooms (last year they had lived in apartments very near to the common rooms, but direct connections had not been feasible at the time), giving access to the students at any time, day or night. There were also now two teachers for nearly every subject, except for those electives with limited enrollment.

For core subjects one teacher taught the first three years, and another taught the fourth and fifth years, plus any N.E.W.T. level students, while for popular electives the teachers split third and fourth years, with one teaching fifth year and the other teaching N.E.W.T.s. Additionally, in the case of Transfiguration, Professor Dumbledore was teaching the N.E.W.T. classes along with N.E.W.T. level Alchemy, giving Professor McGonagall more time to perform her Deputy Headmistress duties instead. Finally, Hagrid was now only teaching N.E.W.T. level Care of Magical Creatures, as he had traded his teaching duties with regards to third through fifth years for simply taking care of the creatures to be used in lessons, along with occasionally helping out with some of the more difficult to handle (albeit still rather harmless) ones.

There were also several new classes, some of them optional, but three of them required. All students were now required to take writing, mathematics and science, though the classes would have to be tailored for the older students who hadn't had them before. Also, while most of the Magical classes were still split by house, at least up until N.E.W.T. level, the required non-Magical ones would be split based on the ability and knowledge level of the students in each year. For this first year, placements for these classes was determined by tests given the day before classes began, with future years' placements being determined by how well the students did the year before. Students could also be moved between classes should they prove themselves better or worse than the original assessment, much to everyone's relief.

The other big change in classes was that History of Magic was now just History, and was to include both Magical and non-Magical events. Professor Binns was no longer teaching, meaning that History would no longer just be boring lectures about Goblin rebellions that everyone could sleep through. Muggle Studies had also been removed, as it was mostly rolled into the required History curriculum, but there were also several electives regarding specific non-Magical topics that could be taken should students want to know more about the non-Magical world. And lastly, for at least this year, there were mandatory presentations in the Great Hall after dinner once a week covering the recent and ongoing changes in Magical Britain and how they affected both the population at large as well as Hogwarts and its students specifically.

By the time classes started the fourth morning after arriving, Harry was amazed at how much they had been able to accomplish over the past year, and as the week went on he found himself really enjoying the new classes, even if it was a lot of work. Of course, part of it was the fact that he no longer had to worry about dealing with Draco Malfoy, who had stopped attending Hogwarts over Christmas break the previous year. While Harry knew why that was and the particulars of Draco's situation, most people still didn't, and Harry enjoyed listening to the speculation of what had happened to the ferret. Theories ranged from "he ran away because he couldn't stand being picked on" to "he ended up in Azkaban for trying to bribe his way back into power," and dozens more in between. But his favorite was the one that said he had killed Draco himself and disposed of the body for one of any number of plausible, albeit ridiculous, reasons. Anytime anyone asked him if he knew what happened to Draco, all he did was smile and walk away, which of course only added fuel to the rumors.

He'd had to explain part of the truth to a few of the professors who were concerned with his reaction, but once he explained that yes, Draco was alive and well (as far as he knew), and no, he couldn't say anything more because it was a family matter, they let it go. He'd given his friends the same explanation, along with the tidbit that the ferret was no longer in Britain, but that was as much as he told anyone. It became clear that several of his former friends in Slytherin also knew more than most, because they began sharing smiles with Harry whenever someone mentioned Draco; at first it unnerved him greatly, but eventually he realized that despite their differences they all were relieved that there was no longer a Malfoy in Hogwarts, and he relaxed and enjoyed the private joke from then on.

The thawing of relations between Gryffindor and Slytherin had taken some time to get used to; over the course of his fifth year the new rules and lack of favoritism that had been displayed by Snape, combined with the fact that many families of deceased Death Eaters were keeping their heads down plus the loss of Draco as an instigator halfway through, had taken their attitudes from pure animosity to a more normal level of school rivalry. This was also helped along by a number of significant punishments for Gryffindors who were either unable or unwilling to let go of the previous tensions, as it allowed some of the more distrustful Slytherins to back off and let the system work, rather than taking the law into their own hands, as it were. While they'd likely never be truly friendly, by the time Harry's class graduated there was polite respect between the members of the two houses barring enmity between individuals.

* * *

Harry's final two years at Hogwarts were blissfully free of the dangers and excitement that had plagued his first four (fifth year had been mixed, though certainly not as bad as the previous ones), to the point where he found it hard to believe he was still in the same school. While there was certainly a fair amount of typical school-related problems over the course of the two years (almost none of them involving him), the Aurors only had to be called a handful of times to investigate incidents, and the only one they ultimately deemed actionable didn't even involve the school other than that the girl's Head of House had suspicions that had warranted calling them in.

Harry's relationship with Professor Dumbledore also improved greatly during this time, though mostly towards the end of seventh year. After the complete tear down of his beliefs by the Queen the Headmaster had issued a short, albeit real-sounding apology to both Harry and Sirius, and then done his best to leave them alone. They'd spoken only a few times before Dumbledore had stepped down as Headmaster, and most of them had been early in the school year when things were still settling down and people occasionally tried to blame Harry for something or another.

Sixth year had mostly been more of the same, though with the former Headmaster teaching N.E.W.T. Transfiguration Harry had seen him in class several times a week. Still, other than limited interaction in class, Dumbledore had left Harry alone; he seemed much more interested in connecting with the younger students anyway, and Harry was happy to let things go. It wasn't until Halloween of seventh year that the two of them finally sat down and had a one-on-one chat, something that turned out to be good for the both of them.

* * *

Albus Dumbledore spotted Harry Potter exiting the Great Hall halfway through the Halloween feast and sighed inwardly. While Voldemort was gone, and Harry now had a loving family to live with rather than his hateful relatives, this was still a hard night for him. Thinking about all the years he hadn't done anything for the boy, he decided that this year would be different. He had finally accepted just how wrong he was about his plans and interpretations of things, and now maybe he could finally start to do something to help make them better.

He found Harry sitting on a bench at the edge of the entry hall, near the corridor towards the Gryffindor tower. As he approached, Harry looked up, his face a mix of curiosity and sadness. "I was wondering if you wanted some company," said Dumbledore. "May I join you?" After looking at him for a minute, Harry nodded, and the Professor Emeritus sat down near, but not quite next to the young man who was one of his current favorite students.

* * *

Harry looked up at Professor Dumbledore, wondering why he was there. They'd had a fairly easy truce going on for over a year, not really interacting outside of class and keeping things cordial, but this was the first time since his farce of a trial that the Professor had tried to have a private conversation with him. He studied Dumbledore's face for a few seconds, and for the first time in a long time saw nothing but concern for how Harry was doing. Eventually he made a decision and nodded, knowing Sirius would probably agree with him after yelling at him for doing so.

Much to Harry's surprise, Dumbledore didn't sit right next to him, but gave him enough space to not feel crowded. After a moment, the professor said, quietly and without looking at him, "I'm sorry, Harry." Still not looking at him, and thus not seeing the shocked look on Harry's face, Dumbledore continued. "I'm sorry that we celebrate this day without really thinking about what it means to you. I'm sorry that I never did anything to try and make this day easier on you when I was in a position to do so before. And I'm sorry for the things I did, all of the things that I did, that contributed towards making your life as difficult and unpleasant as it was."

Harry stared at Dumbledore with his mouth hanging open; he'd gotten an apology before, but it was clear at the time that, while sincerely worded, it had been mostly a matter of proper form and not because the Headmaster had truly been sorry. This time, however, Harry believed it. He wasn't sure where it had come from, or if there was any hidden agenda behind it, but the apology itself was real.

After a moment, Dumbledore turned to Harry and asked, "Can you find it in your heart to forgive a stubborn old man his failings? Or at least accept that I truly am sorry, even if you won't forgive my actions?"

Harry swallowed and composed himself, his emotions swirling. After all, it wouldn't do to start crying while he was trying to give a firm response to Dumbledore. He considered his response, then nodded very slightly. "While I cannot say that I'm ready to fully forgive everything that happened to me, I do believe that you're truly sorry this time. Thank you."

Dumbledore nodded, looking at least a little relieved, and they both lapsed into silence. After a moment, he asked, "Is there anything I can do for you Harry? Or would you like me to leave?"

Harry thought for a moment, then shook his head. After another moment he turned back to Dumbledore and said, "Actually, there is something you can do for me." Dumbledore just nodded, but didn't say anything. Harry thought for another few seconds to get his phrasing right, then asked, "I don't want to get into a big discussion of whether it was right or wrong, or play a game of what if. I just want to know what you were thinking when you took me and left me on my aunt and uncle's doorstep sixteen years ago."

Dumbledore looked pained, then opened his mouth before closing it again. After another minute he opened it again, this time answering him. "I'm not trying to make excuses, just explain what I thought at the time," he said, and Harry nodded but didn't say anything. "Your parents were dead, and Voldemort was apparently defeated for the time being, but I also thought that your godfather was the one who had betrayed them and that you wouldn't be safe anywhere in the Magical world while Voldemort's supporters were still at large. And while I knew that there was no love between your mother and your aunt, I mistakenly assumed that her animosity would not extend to a young boy who clearly needed her support, and that she would come to love you the way she loved her own son. Plus, once she accepted you into her house and sealed the blood wards, neither Voldemort nor his followers would be able to touch you there even if they found you."

He turned to look at Harry, whose face was studiously neutral as though he was just trying to listen without passing judgment. "I was also wrong, Harry," he said, keeping his voice even. "It took me a long time to realize I had made a mistake, but by then I had no idea how to fix it, and I compounded it by sending you back there over and over. To make matters worse, over the past two plus years I have learned, and more recently accepted, that in my quest to see the end of Voldemort, I failed to realize that I had grown too arrogant to see that I was making mistakes, or that I had stopped thinking of you as anything other than a piece on the chessboard to be used against Voldemort. I may have been 'The Great Albus Dumbledore', but I was also a great fool, at least when it came to you."

Harry considered Dumbledore's words for a moment, then nodded. "Thank you," he said. "I can't say it makes me happy to hear it, but I think I needed to know. So I can close the door on that chapter of my life and move on. Do you understand?"

Dumbledore nodded, "I do indeed." The doors to the Great Hall opened, and several students exited, heading back to their dorms after the feast. "It appears that the feast is nearing the end. If you'd like to continue this conversation another time, I will be happy to make myself available to do so. In the meantime, perhaps it's time for you to get some sleep, and you can wake up to the start of a new chapter in your life."

"Thank you, Professor," said Harry, "I may just take you up on that offer sometime." He stood and offered Dumbledore a hand, who chuckled and accepted it despite not really needing it. It was a small gesture, but a meaningful one nonetheless. Perhaps they could both move on to a new chapter in their lives, at least with regards to their dealings with each other. "Goodnight, Professor Dumbledore," said Harry after they were both standing.

"Goodnight, Harry," replied Dumbledore, and they went their separate ways; Harry back to his dorm, and Dumbledore back to the Great Hall to see if there was anything else he could assist with.

* * *

In the months that followed, Harry and Dumbledore spoke every few weeks. They never revisited the past, other than the professor regaling Harry with a few stories of his parents and Sirius during their school years, but mostly they just talked about whatever was going on at the time. Harry saw it as a chance to create a new relationship with the professor, who he had grown to respect greatly in his N.E.W.T. Transfiguration class and who knew more about Magic than anyone else he knew. He suspected that Dumbledore saw it as a way of atoning for his past sins, helping find ways to make Harry happy, but Harry paid it no mind, and the professor never brought it up. He also found that if he just needed an ear to talk to, without actually giving him any advice or commentary, that Dumbledore was willing to do that as well. It certainly was easier to talk about girlfriend troubles to a stoic Professor Dumbledore than it was to Sirius or, god forbid, either of his best friends.

He'd dated several girls casually in his sixth year, and several more this year, but he's pretty much determined that nobody currently at Hogwarts was quite what he was looking for, at least not right now. He was still friends with most of the girls he'd dated, and there were a couple of them he considered as possibilities for the future when they were both in different places, but it was pretty clear to him that there was still a mystique surrounding the Boy-Who-Lived and he wanted nothing to do with it.

The only two people who didn't buy into it at all at this point were Ginny and Hermione. He'd gone on a casual date to Hogsmeade with Ginny once at the beginning of his seventh year, and by the time they got out of the carriage in the village they both realized it just wasn't going to work. They'd remained friends after the events surrounding his trial, and as time had gone on he'd thought of her more as a little sister than a potential girlfriend. Much to Ginny's annoyance, she actually felt the same way, which led to a brief period of awkwardness while they talked about it, followed by moving on and having a great day hanging out with each other and their other friends.

Hermione, on the other hand, had always felt like a sister to him, which was good because she and Ron had started dating back at the beginning of sixth year. He'd been leery of the two of them dating at first, and had made sure to give Ron the same talking to that he'd seen Ron give one of Ginny's potential boyfriends, but both Ron and Hermione had explained to him that they knew this probably wasn't going to last and that they just needed to get it out of their system so they could move on. He still thought it was a bad idea, but here they were over a year and a half later still doing fine. Granted, it was pretty obvious that they weren't really serious about each other, but at least they weren't showing any signs of the bad breakup he'd been expecting to happen after six months.

There was a part of him that was jealous of his friends for being able to have that kind of relationship; here he was, the boy that half the school wanted to date, and yet even the ones who'd made it clear they were just looking for some fun hadn't been able to look past his fame and just see him. They'd still been mostly fun times, as he'd been rather picky to begin with, but if anyone had asked him he was looking forward to getting out of Hogwarts and finding some new people to interact with. Heck, even though he wasn't planning on leaving the Magical world completely, he was already planning on spending some time in the non-Magical world since his godfather was living there nearly full-time at this point.

It had taken several months longer than they had hoped, but shortly before Christmas sixth year Sirius had officially adopted Harry in the non-Magical world. That summer, Sirius had thrown a party to celebrate, and invited most of the neighborhood, many of whom Harry had met the summer before. He wasn't really good friends with any of them, but he'd found it refreshing that nobody looked at him funnily or treated him like he was special above and beyond being Sirius's adopted son, and he had to admit he really enjoyed it.

That summer he and Sirius had talked about whether to go back to the Magical world or not, and much to Harry's surprise Sirius had strongly favored spending at least some time in the non-Magical world. Eventually he got his godfather to admit that part of the reason was because there were a lot more women in the non-Magical world than in the Magical one, and he was enjoying playing the field and wanted Harry to have that experience too. While Harry wasn't totally convinced, he had to admit that the prospect of dating someone who knew nothing about him was pretty appealing, and it wouldn't hurt to get some more education as well. In the end they had agreed to leave any major decisions until after Harry graduated Hogwarts, but that non-Magical options would be a major part of the discussion.

* * *

It was over, done with, finished. Harry had taken all of his N.E.W.T.s, completed his classwork, homework, end-of-year projects, and everything else he had to do to graduate from Hogwarts. Now, the morning after the leaving feast, he closed his school trunk and sealed it with a couple of spells just in case before looking around his dorm room one last time. Dean and Neville were doing the same, while Ron and Seamus appeared to be having some trouble with last-minute packing. Harry grinned at his dorm mates, then went to help Ron out while Dean helped Seamus. Neville, no longer the chubby, shy boy he had been when he arrived first year, just shook his head and watched.

Eventually they were all packed, and headed down to the common room for the last time. There they met Hermione, Lavender and Parvati, who were doing the same thing they were. They spent a few minutes chatting as they wandered around the common room, not really talking about anything important as they tried to seal the memories in their minds. Eventually they all sort of wandered out into the corridor, and then on to the Great Hall for one last breakfast.

As always on the last day before leaving, breakfast was a fairly quiet affair, with many of the students tired from staying up packing, and many of the seventh years not quite sure what was coming next. There were lots of people exchanging goodbyes, and even the professors were going around saying goodbye to the students. Harry acknowledged that he was going to miss at least some of them, but knew he'd be able to come back and visit or see them around, at least during the summers. Still, it was a big change, and even though he was looking forward to it he was still a little uncertain about what he really wanted to be doing in the future.

He was interrupted from his thoughts by the arrival of Hedwig, who unexpectedly bore a letter for him. Given that there was usually no post on the last morning of school, everyone was naturally curious as to what he received. Taking the letter from Hedwig he could tell that it was a letter from the Crown Wizard's office, as he recognized the envelope. Turning it over to open it, he gasped as he recognized the Queen's personal seal on it, as did Hermione. He shot her a look to not say anything and she nodded, her eyes wide in wonder.

After making it clear he wasn't going to open it with everyone looking over his shoulder and waiting for them to go back to their breakfasts, he finally opened the letter and read it, his jaw dropping as he did so.

 _20_ _th_ _June, 1998_

 _Sir Harry,_

 _We wish to offer you our congratulations on graduating from Hogwarts. While we do not know what you intend for your future, we wish to offer you an opportunity to intern with our Crown Wizards' office should you be interested in doing so. If_ you _are, please send your response to our Chief Wizard and let him know, and he will be in touch with you to arrange things._

 _Whether or not you choose to avail yourself of this opportunity, they will always be available to assist you should you need anything, as will we if it is within reason. Enjoy your summer holidays and please ask your godfather if he's considered our offer any further. He'll know what we are talking about._

 _(signed) Elizabeth R_

 _Sir Harry James Potter_

Harry stared at the letter for another minute, then folded it back up and put it in his pocket. Looking at his friends, he grinned and said, "I'll tell you on the Express." Standing, he continued, "Come on, let's go take one last train ride before we start on our next adventure." Gathering their belongings his friends joined him and they walked out the door to the Great Hall, and then Hogwarts itself, walking onward into the future.

FIN


	43. Afterword & Acknowledgments

_Originally posted 9/12/16, last revised 10/27/16._

 **Afterword & Acknowledgments  
**

Wow, what an amazing ride this has been. When I first started, I was writing ~2.5k word chapters, and I figured I'd put out 15-20 of them and that would be it. Realistically, I barely had any plans for after Harry revoked the Charter, as that felt like the big event at the end of the story. How wrong I was, and I I'm so happy with how much better this story is for it. After nearly 158,000 words (at least according to LibreOffice Writer), I am both astonished and humbled by how many people like this story, especially considering just how many Harry Potter stories there are on FFN. I'll have more on that in a minute, but first I want to acknowledge some very important people.

For starters, I want to thank all of you: the readers who kept coming back for more, and the reviewers who gave me useful comments (both positive and negative) that encouraged me to keep going. Without you, _Long Live The Queen_ would be dead and buried by now... And to the very occasional snotty reviewer who left snarky comments made no attempt to provide any useful suggestions (mostly guests, I noticed): PHHHBBBBBBBBBBTTTTTTT! :P

Finally, I can't thank my small team of crack pre-readers enough. While I may have done all of the writing, they did more work on a volunteer basis than I could have ever asked for. Without them, this story would not have been anywhere near as well written, not to mention all of the various logic and continuity errors they prevented. Thank you so much for helping me make this story so much better than it would have been otherwise.

I originally started working on this during the summer of 2013, and wrote pretty much all of the first 6 chapters before my muse decided to move on to other things and I pushed it off to the side. Two years later, it came back with a vengeance, and I started working on it again, albeit with considerable difficulty. Never having written a long, multi-chapter story before I wasn't really sure if what I had and where I was going was something that other people would want to read, and I made the fateful decision to post chapter 1 and see how people responded in the hopes of jump-starting my mojo. Never in my wildest imagination would I have believed the response I got, not just overwhelmingly positive but pushing my story into territory occupied by many of _my_ favorite authors on FFN, most if not all of whom I consider to be much better writers than myself. As of the posting of this afterword (9/12/16 10am), _Long Live The Queen_ holds the following statistics on FFN:

7104 follows (#47 out of 716K browsable HP stories )  
5200 favorites (#181)  
3679 reviews (#203 - tied)  
Over 1.5 million views (granted, that's total for all chapters)

Not bad for a middle-aged IT guy who's always had trouble putting words on paper. All I can say is that I am truly honored that so many of you found my crazy not-so-little story to be enjoyable, and thank you for coming along with me for the ride.

* * *

Now, many of you may be wondering if there's plans for a sequel, since there are so many different things that could be covered by one. Unfortunately, at least for the time being, the answer is no. LLTQ (as I call it), while certainly a labor of love, turned into something much bigger than I expected and now that it's done I'm going to take a break from it. I do have tentative plans to go back and revise it from the beginning, mostly to tighten up the early chapters and possibly flesh out a few things I wish I'd done in hindsight, but even that's going to wait a bit while I do other things (fanfic-related or otherwise). I will also put together a FAQ based on some of the questions I've gotten asked in reviews and PMs whose answers never made it into the story, but again, that will have to wait at least a little while.

However, I do have an offer for each and every one of you. While this particular vision of the world of Harry Potter may originally be mine, I'm also more than happy to share it with you should you wish to pick up one or more of the (many!) dangling plot hooks and run with them. Want to detail what happened with the werewolves? You're more than welcome to! Interested in exploring Harry's Knighthood? Go for it! I'd love to see what you think would happen. I have only 2 requests and 1 rule if you want to add your own vision to this universe:

The requests are that you 1) Let me know about your story, so that I can read it, and 2) If you decide to use the character of Sir Charles Adlington you please clear it with me first – I won't ask you to not use him since he's the new Headmaster of Hogwarts, but I would like to make sure he stays in character. Along the same lines my one rule is simply this: Please do not use the character Detective Inspector Kathleen Nevin. I don't know why, but my muse is insisting I retain full control over that one character, and I know better than to argue with her :)

As to the rest of things, go wild! I have no restrictions on what else you can do or change, even if it goes against what I wrote in the first place. As long as you enjoy what you create, that's all that matters. Thank you for reading this far, and I look forward to seeing what (if anything) you come up with!

* * *

 **Author's Notes Archive**

Here, preserved for your amusement, are the original author's notes from all 34 chapters and 8 epilogues. Since many of them were relevant to the time the chapter was posted but don't really matter any more, I've removed them from the chapters and put them here instead. Enjoy!

 _Chapter 1:_

 **A/N (Updated 5/5/16):** Thanks for everyone who clarified that they often have Chapter 1 bookmarked and then jump to the latest chapter, that really helps me understand how the site metrics see things! **  
**

 **Original A/N:** OK, here we go. This is my first multi-chapter story, and while I prefer slightly longer chapters, it looks like this one is averaging only about 2.5K word/chapter, at least to start out. They might get longer later, but we'll see. Please review so I can make it better as I go!

 _Chapter 2:_

 **A/N:** Thanks to the people who reviewed. I'm going to try to reply to any non-anonymous review I receive, though it might not be right away. And to the anonymous reviewer, I'd love to discuss your comment with you, but since I don't know who you are I won't. :P

I've made some more progress, but it's sometimes hard to translate what's in my head and/or notes into fleshed out dialogue. Still, the response to chapter 1 was more than I expected, so I'm going to try posting weekly as long as I can. Thanks for reading, and please keep telling me what you like (and don't!) about this story.

 _Chapter 3:_

 **A/N:** And so it begins - just remember Newton's First Law, kids! Thanks again to everyone who's reviewed.

 _Chapter 4:_

 **A/N:** I'm a little overwhelmed by the response to this story, but in a good way. Thank you again to everyone who has reviewed, especially those who have provided constructive criticism and/or questions that made me think about how to make the story better. This marks the first appearance of Her Majesty, and I've really enjoyed writing her dialogue. I've only heard her speak once or twice, so I hope I've done a good job of capturing it for this story.

Also, just a reminder for those who keep mentioning it in your reviews, check my profile for the current and planned status of chapters and posting. I've been updating it each time I post a chapter. Or just follow the story and get an email when I post a new chapter :)

Finally, if anyone is interested in Beta'ing this story for me, let me know. I could use an extra prereader or two.

 _Chapter 5:_

 **A/N:** Wow - it looks like you liked meeting the Queen. Just don't expect to see a lot of here for a bunch more chapters, there's a long way to go before Harry and Sirius get to meet her :) Also, just a note on British vs. American English. I'm American, so writing (and editing!) American English is much easier for me. That said, I'm trying to use British English for all written correspondence, especially since it usually involves the Queen. Hopefully that will clear up any confusion on US vs. UK spellings.

Still looking for a prereader or two. You don't have to be a FFN Beta to help, just drop me a PM with your qualifications and why you want to preread. If I pick you, I'll reply asking for an email address, and you'll get added to my prereader's list.

 _Chapter 6:_

 **A/N:** Thank you so much for the words of encouragement, they've really helped me keep my mojo going. I'm glad so many of you liked the way Harry stood up to Molly and told her no. I do want to make one thing clear - while Molly (and Dumbledore) aren't going to get their way in this story, I'm not intending to bash anyone in the traditional sense. Yes, there will be repercussions for peoples' actions, some of which may be rather strongly worded, but this isn't about messing with people or making them miserable simply for the sake of doing it (even if they might deserve it :)).

 _Chapter 7:_

 **A/N:** What's the difference between involvement and commitment? Take the example of bacon and eggs: the chicken was involved; the pig was committed. Thanks to my betas for helping make this chapter better.

 _Chapter 8:_

 **A/N:** And, they're off! This is the longest chapter to date, coming in at ~3.7K words. Chapters have been trending longer in general, with the average trending towards 3K+. Not that I think anyone will object :)

Two gentle reminders: 1) I try to respond to all reviews, including answering questions (though not always straight answers :P). I can't respond to guest reviews, so if you have a question please remember to sign in! 2) My progress on this story is listed in my profile, including the planned release date on future chapters. As much as I appreciate the reviews asking me to post more soon, it won't change the schedule. As of right now, we're still on track for a post every Friday, US Eastern Time.

And finally, thanks to my prereaders, without whom my writing would suffer.

 _Chapter 9:_

 **A/N:** OK, before I say anything else, here's mini-rant to everyone who accused me of surprise shipping H/G.

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT A RELATIONSHIP ACTUALLY ENTAILS? Yes, Ginny expressed an interest in Harry, which he didn't immediately squash. He also left immediately afterwards, without saying anything to Ginny. That's not a relationship. Yes, there's the possibility for a relationship, but there's also the possibility that Harry and Sirius will get hit by a bus. The description says no ships, and that's what I'm planning. The only romantic relationships that exist in this fic "onscreen" are Arthur & Molly Weasley, and Queen Elizabeth & Prince Phillip - neither of which are going to be explored in ANY way (something I'm sure we're all thankful for!). If you don't like the fact that teenagers are acting like teenagers, then I'm sorry I'm not writing my characters flat enough for you.

Now, where was I? Oh yes - Harry and Sirius are out of the house, but there's still some chaos to be explored back there before we see them again. Upcoming chapter status is available on my profile as usual. Thanks again to my prereaders for helping make this better!

 _Chapter 10:_

 **A/N:** It's Friday the 13th, so lets hope that nothing bad happens... :)

Thanks to my prereaders for helping make this story better.

 _Chapter 11:_

 **A/N:** I'd apologize for last week's cliffhanger, but I'd be mostly lying if I did. It wasn't originally planned that way, but when I was trying to find a good stopping point for the chapter and realized it would be posted on Friday the 13th, I couldn't resist. :P

 **IMPORTANT NOTE FOR WEEKLY READERS:** If you've been following the story as I post each chapter, you may not have noticed the minor change I've made to the story description clarifying what is and isn't included. While it was semi-implied before, I'm now explicitly stating this: EVERYTHING after Harry leaves the Ministry in chapter 9 of OotP does not exist (and the divergence starts in chapter 6). No HBP, no DH, no Horcruxes. It won't really matter for a while, but I wanted to get that out now while I was thinking about it.

As always, check my profile for the current status and release schedule, and thanks to my prereaders for helping make this story better!

 _Chapter 12:_

 **A/N:** It's Thanksgiving here in the US. and I'm going out of town for the long weekend to visit family. This means I'll be pretty much offline until Monday, and so I won't be responding to reviews and the like until then. But you still have something to be thankful for: I'm posting this chapter a day early, before I hit the road, so that I don't have to worry if I'll have time to post it tomorrow. Unfortunately that means you'll have a slightly longer wait before the next chapter, since chapter 13 will be posted on the regular Friday schedule, but it all evens out :)

Also, while we're on the subject of being thankful, I want to thank all of you, my readers, for making this story so much fun to write. Every fanfic author starts out with an idea they think is worth writing, but it isn't until the readers weigh in that we know if it really was or not. And while it hasn't been all positive, most of you seem to like it, and most of the negative criticism has been at least respectful and in many cases constructive. So thank you all for reading, commenting and keeping me motivated.

As always, the current status and planned release schedule is in my profile, and thanks to my prereaders for making this a better story.

 _Chapter 13:_

 **A/N:** Lucky number 13! Lucky for me in that as of this morning this story has over 2000 followers and 155K views. Not bad for something that started as a simple question of "What would happen if Harry wrote to the Queen?" Lucky for you in that this is the longest chapter to date - nearly 4K words. That's not to say that they will all be that big, but they are averaging bigger, and nothing's under 3K anymore.

The Wizarding Charter is my own invention in its entirety. The Wizengamot Charter, while inspired by Dumbledore's mention of the Wizengamot Charter of Rights in OotP, is also mostly my own invention. Most of the rest of the laws/groups mentioned are either historically real or taken from various canon sources, though I may have tweaked them for my own purposes.

As always, the current status and planned release schedule is in my profile, and thanks to my prereaders for making this a better story.

 _Chapter 14:_

 **A/N:** And now for something completely different, a brief interlude of anti-zen to start the chapter before returning to Her Majesty.

As always, the current status and planned release schedule is in my profile, and thanks to my prereaders for making this a better story.

 _Chapter 15:_

 **A/N:** One last chapter before we get to Harry's trial. I promise you'll get it next week, but there's still a few important things that need to be discussed first. As they say, proper preparation prevents poor performance.

As always, the current status and planned release schedule is in my profile, and thanks to my prereaders for making this a better story.

 _Chapter 16:_

 **A/N:** Merry Christmas to everyone that celebrates, I hope you like your present. My present to me is that I'm taking a week off. **There will be no chapter posted next week on New Year's Day.** Chapter 17 will be posted a week later, on 1/8/16, and regular Friday postings will resume at that time. Since I won't be posting next week, I hope everyone has a Happy New Year, and that the coming year brings nothing buy good things to everyone.

As always, the current status and planned release schedule is in my profile, and thanks to my prereaders for making this a better story.

 _Chapter 17:_

 **A/N:** Happy New Year everyone! My apologies for not replying to everyone's reviews, but between life and work I just haven't had time. I'll try to respond to at least the ones that aren't just "Wonderful!" or "More!", but it's going to take a bit (and with this chapter coming out they're going to back up even more *sigh*). Anyway, thanks for reading, and on to the story!

As always, the current status and planned release schedule is in my profile, and thanks to my prereaders for making this a better story.

 _Chapter 18:_

 **A/N:** And now begins Her Majesty's overhaul of the Wizarding World. I recommend popcorn, though you might want a raincoat (or hazmat suit) instead if you're sitting near the front; there's a rather large steaming pile heading for a rotating object...

Thank you to reader vmage2, who noticed an error in chapter 17 that managed to get past all of my prereaders and my multiple editing passes. I've corrected it and re-uploaded the chapter on principle, as it doesn't substantively change the story but I don't like leaving mistakes uncorrected. :)

As always, check my profile for the current status and release schedule, and thanks to my prereaders for helping make this story better!

 _Chapter 19:_

 ***** IMPORTANT NOTE:** Effective immediately, LLTQ is moving to a 2-week release cycle. Due to various factors, my output speed has slowed down sufficiently that my buffer is pretty much exhausted, and rather than leave things hanging on a new chapter whenever I can manage it, I'm hoping that I can keep up with the slower pace while still keeping things regular. If I get far enough ahead I may post chapters early (always on Friday, and always before noon Eastern time) but don't expect it. I am NOT abandoning this in any way shape or form - I'm just making sure that I don't sacrifice quality for speed while still meeting my own deadlines. Anyone who wishes to complain about this may take it up with the deity of their choice in the hopes of getting my mojo into higher gear along with giving me the time to write it :)

 **A/N:** Now that the initial hammer has come down, it's time to start the process of rebuilding. Although, now that I think about it, it's going to be more like dental work - cutting out the bad spots and then filling them in, with a lot of pain at first and then residual discomfort for a while...

Also, several readers pointed out that I had used 'I' instead of the royal 'we' in chapter 18, and all I can say is mea culpu. It's hard writing the royal we all the time, so I don't when I'm doing my initial drafts and then change it later. Except that I forgot to do it and it stuck out like a sore thumb. I've corrected chapter 18 and reposted it, as well as making sure that this and future chapters are properly done.

As always, check my profile for the current status and release schedule, and thanks to my prereaders for helping make this story better!

 _Chapter 20:_

 **A/N:** Thank you for the support in moving to a slower release schedule. Not that it would have changed things if you didn't, but it's nice to get positive feedback :) And now, the show many people have been waiting for, I present to you the Interrogation of Lucius Malfoy! Oh, yeah, the Queen has a few choice words for some people too...

As always, check my profile for the current status and release schedule, and thanks to my prereaders for helping make this story better!

 _Chapter 21:_

 **A/N:** Has it been 2 weeks already? I guess so, so here's chapter 21 for you!

As always, check my profile for the current status and release schedule, and thanks to my prereaders for helping make this story better!

 _Chapter 22:_

 **A/N:** Another 2 weeks, another chapter. Not a lot of action here, but some much needed bridge work to start setting the stage for the next big thing. Thanks for reading!

Also, sorry for the late posting; I normally try to post by noon Eastern (US) time, but the FFN outage this morning prevented that. Just take heart in knowing that with Daylight Savings Time coming, you'll get the next chapter a whole hour earlier than you would otherwise :P

As always, check my profile for the current status and release schedule, and thanks to my prereaders for helping make this story better!

 _Chapter 23:_

A/N: I'm not convinced about the title of this chapter, so if anyone has a better suggestion let me know. In the mean time, enjoy!

As always, check my profile for the current status and release schedule, and thanks to my prereaders for helping make this story better!

 _Chapter 24:_

 **A/N:** In honor of April Fool's day, there is no chapter 24. Nothing important will be posted today, so just ignore everything that's written below. We'll resume with chapter 25 in 2 weeks. (That's a joke for anyone who's humor/sarcasm impaired...)

As always, check my profile for the current status and release schedule, and thanks to my prereaders for helping make this story better!

 _Chapter 25:_

 **A/N:** Can you feel the energy in the air? That sense that something big is brewing but it's not quite here yet? I suspect you will once you finish this chapter! The pieces are falling into place, and it won't be long before the action heats up. So enjoy the calm before it's gone...

As always, check my profile for the current status and release schedule, and thanks to my prereaders for helping make this story better!

 _Chapter 26:_

 **A/N:** My apologies for being late with this chapter, but it was for a very good reason. As the previous version of chapter 26 was getting its final touches, one of my prereaders pointed out that the explanation I had for fulfilling the prophecy just didn't hold up. And after considering my plans and their arguments, they were right. So I ended up writing a whole other chapter that got slammed into the middle of what I had already written, necessitating extra editing time to make sure all the i's were dotted and the t's were crossed. Ultimately, I feel it makes the story better, and I hope you'll agree. In the mean time, enjoy the biggest chapter I've written so far, and you'll get the next one in just 1 week before we return to our regular 2-week release schedule.

The text of the prophecy is taken from Chapter 37 of _Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_ by J.K. Rowling, modified slightly for my purposes.

As always, check my profile for the current status and release schedule, and thanks to my prereaders for helping make this story better!

 _Chapter 27:_

 **A/N:** Now that we're back on track, things are about to heat up. Rather than saying anything more, I'll let the chapter speak for itself.

As always, check my profile for the current status and release schedule, and thanks to my prereaders for helping make this story better!

One last note - as of this chapter, I've posted over 100K words, and all I can say is, "Holy smokes, how the heck did that happen?!" :)

 _Chapter 28:_

 **A/N:** To paraphrase John Mellencamp:

When the wards come tumblin' down  
when the wards come crumblin' crumblin'  
when the wards come tumblin' tumblin  
down...

As always, check my profile for the current status and release schedule, and thanks to my prereaders for helping make this story better!

 _Chapter 29:_

 **A/N:** Now that Voldemort is dead, the process of fixing Magical Britain can truly begin. Hold on to your hats folks, Her Majesty is not pulling any punches!

As always, check my profile for the current status and release schedule, and thanks to my prereaders for helping make this story better!

 _Chapter 30:_

 **A/N:** I've waited a long time to post this, and I'm very happy to finally do so. The first 2 scenes were originally written back in February(!) when I was dealing with some writer's block while working on chapter 24. At first I thought it would be chapter 28, then it got bumped when chapter 26 was split in two, and finally it was swapped with what is now chapter 29, making it chapter 30. Many of you have asked what's happening with Harry (and Sirius), and here's your answer. Don't worry - we'll be back to seeing how Dumbledore's faring (hint: not well!) next chapter, but for now let's head back to London for a brief interlude.

As always, check my profile for the current status and release schedule, and thanks to my prereaders for helping make this story better!

 _Chapter 31:_

 **A/N:** We now return to Hogwarts, and the rest of the Queen's dressing down of Dumbledore. Much of this chapter is a flashback to before she left, but I think it all works out better this way. And finally we jump back to Grimmauld Place for the evening, where life is finally starting to return to normal, or at least as normal as that crowd ever gets. :)

As always, check my profile for the current status and release schedule, and thanks to my prereaders for helping make this story better!

 _Chapter 32:_

 **A/N:** A bit shorter chapter than we've seen lately, but still packed with goodness.

As always, check my profile for the current status and release schedule, and thanks to my prereaders for helping make this story better!

 _Chapter 33:_

 **A/N:** Harry's last meeting with the Queen, at least for now. After that, it's time to get ready to go back to Hogwarts. Only one more chapter to go in the main story, and then there's a total of eight(!) epilogues detailing various pieces beyond that.

As always, check my profile for the current status and release schedule, and thanks to my prereaders for helping make this story better!

 _Chapter 34:_

 **A/N:** And so we reach the final chapter, though not quite the end of the story. There's eight epilogues to come, the first of which will be released in one week, with an accelerated release schedule after that.

As always, check my profile for the current status and release schedule, and thanks to my prereaders for helping make this story better!

 _Epilogue 1:_

 **A/N:** Just a quick note about the epilogues - they follow a roughly chronological order but are grouped more on people and/or events than exact times, and are intended to give glimpses into what's happening down the line. Starting with this one, they will be posted M/W/F until they're done, along with an Afterword that will be posted along with Epilogue 8.

Also, can I just say that I'm ridiculously excited to release this - it's been sitting in the queue waiting for **six months** , and I finally get to post it! :)

As always, check my profile for the current status and release schedule, and thanks to my prereaders for helping make this story better!

 _Epilogue 2:_

 **A/N:** Sorry to disappoint those who want to see more about the Dursleys, you'll just have to use your imagination to decide what happens to them :P In the meantime, lets see what happens to the Death Eaters and Umbridge...

As always, check my profile for the current status and release schedule, and thanks to my prereaders for helping make this story better!

 _Epilogue 3:_

 **A/N:** His trial was delayed last epilogue, but no more. Here's the fate of everyone's favorite greasy git, Severus Snape!

As always, check my profile for the current status and release schedule, and thanks to my prereaders for helping make this story better!

 _Epilogue 4:_

 **A/N:** Sorry about posting Epilogue 3 late, I was on vacation and woke up puking my guts up with what may have been food poisoning (no, it wasn't alcohol related) and was in no shape to do much until the afternoon. Also, I'm very pleased most of you liked my treatment of Snape. And for those of you confused about the time he spent in prison, he was sentenced to serve concurrently, not consecutively - check a dictionary if you don't know what that means...

We're getting closer to the end, but there's still a bunch of loose ends to tie up, so let's grab a few more and check in with Sirius.

As always, check my profile for the current status and release schedule, and thanks to my prereaders for helping make this story better!

 _Epilogue 5:_

As always, check my profile for the current status and release schedule, and thanks to my prereaders for helping make this story better!

 _Epilogue 6:_

 **A/N:** For those of you complaining about Fudge getting off lightly, you have to remember that the events of Book 5+ didn't happen past the Trial, so Fudge has a lot less to answer for. The biggest thing they could get him for was receiving bribes (in this case the legal system got in the way of some other charges, like trying to have Sirius Kissed (since he was officially an escaped prisoner) or having Barty Crouch Jr. Kissed (since he was legally already dead)). I'll probably put a FAQ together to try and answer some of the most common questions once all the Epilogues are posted and I have some time.

Now we see what's become of Dumbledore - again, some will think he got off lightly, but I'll address the reasons why in a later author's note and/or the aforementioned FAQ.

As always, check my profile for the current status and release schedule, and thanks to my prereaders for helping make this story better!

 _Epilogue 7:_

 **A/N:** For those of you who wonder about Dumbledore's title or why he wasn't punished more harshly, I'm probably going to post some sort of FAQ after everything's posted and I have a little time to decompress, and my thoughts on those and other questions will be included in that. If you have specific questions you'd like to ask, feel free to include them in a review. That doesn't mean I'm guaranteed to answer them, but it's the best way to ask. And for the reviewer who asked what happened to Part 2 of The Ministry of Magic, here you go :)

As always, check my profile for the current status and release schedule, and thanks to my prereaders for helping make this story better!

 _Epilogue 8:_

 **A/N:** And so we've reached the end, and what a ride it's been. I won't promise a specific date for posting the FAQ, as I'm planning on taking a little mental break now that the story is over. But I wouldn't be surprised if it was posted around the end of September/early October, so stay tuned. I'll also be posting slightly updated versions of every chapter, mostly stripping out the author's notes from the beginning and making some minor corrections (mostly spelling, but also things like Royal Army - British Army for you britpickers in the audience :P).


	44. FAQ

**LLTQ FAQ** _(last updated 10/27/16) **  
**_

 **Q:** What does this FAQ cover?  
 **A:** Mostly, this covers backstory and other things that played a role in having things go the way they did, but weren't mentioned explicitly 'onscreen' in the story.

 **Q:** What _doesn't_ this FAQ cover?  
 **A:** Anything that might happen in the future, as well as almost anything that might have happened during the time jumps in the Epilogues. Basically, if you want to know what happened with X, Y and Z and it wasn't mentioned in-story, I'm not likely to tell you here either.

 **Q:** What if I have a question not covered in the FAQ?  
 **A:** Send me a PM and ask! I've tried to cover most of the questions that have come up in reviews and PMs, though it's possible I've missed some. If you send me a question I'll do my best to answer it, and if I think it belongs here I'll update the FAQ as well. That said, Real Life™ has been getting in the way lately, so it may not happen very quickly.

 **Q:** Will there be a sequel?  
 **A:** Probably not. Even if there is, it won't be soon. See the Afterword  & Acknowledgments for more details.

 **Q:** Where did all the author's notes (A/N) at the beginning of the chapters go?  
 **A:** Since most of them were more relevant to when the chapter was posted than they are now, they've been moved to the end of the Afterword  & Acknowledgments (chapter 43).

 **Q:** Why are you bashing Dumbledore/Molly?  
 **A:** I'm not. Both of them have faults in the original story, and JKR chose to portray them in the best light rather than the worst or even a more neutral one. Beyond that, reread the story and look at the arguments used against both of the characters and you'll see that they're perfectly valid from the point of view used in this story.

 **Q:** Why aren't you bashing Ron/Hermione/Ginny?  
 **A:** First of all, let me say that there's plenty of bashing that can go around to pretty much any character in any story, especially if you take a disliking to them. That said, I tried to take a mostly neutral approach to dealing with the characters, and only hit them with reasonable criticism based on their actions "onscreen" as it were. Ron, Hermione and Ginny all have their flaws in canon, and most of them could be at least mitigated if not fixed by having them grow up a bit more in their early years – which is what I essentially did. Had Ron been given a slight nudge in 3rd or 4th year and been less self-centered he could have easily turned into the young man I made him into. Hermione has a problem with blindly bowing to authority figures , but here she's at least come to recognize it and is trying to change – something that isn't going to happen instantly. Ginny is still a young girl with a crush on her brother's best friend, but she's trying to work on it. Again, something that isn't going to happen overnight.

 **Q:** Why does the Queen sign her letters 'Elizabeth R.'?  
 **A:** I don't know, but that's how everything I found on Google showed her signature. I'm guessing it's something like Regis or Regia, effectively making it 'Elizabeth the Queen'.

 **Q:** Why does the Queen go back and forth between using "We" and "I"?  
 **A:** In purely formal situations, and with people she does not have a personal relationship with, she uses the Royal We exclusively. In less-than-formal situation, she uses "I" to indicate that she is speaking simply as "Elizabeth the person" rather than as the Queen, and vice versa,

 **Q:** How come Fudge only got 5-15 years in prison?  
 **A:** Because, in the grand scheme of things, most of what he did/allowed that warranted a longer term was not technically prosecutable since it was within his legitimate function as Minister or he had no foreknowledge of it. While having Sirius kissed would have been a travesty of justice, at the time Fudge thought he was a properly convicted murderer who had escaped Azkaban, and had a legitimate "Kiss on Sight" order for him. Barty Crouch Jr. was officially already dead, and on top of that it's pretty clear that Fudge hadn't intentionally had him Kissed, he just didn't consider it to be a big deal. And while there were several encounters between Harry and dementors, none of them could be laid at Fudge's feet as an intentional act. That left primarily the corruption charges, and while he could have been saddled with consecutive prison terms, that would have just been purely vindictive, and the "new" Ministry was trying to show that it could be firm but fair. And just because the term is officially 5-15 to get Fudge to agree to it, even he knows he's not likely to get out anytime before serving at least ten of them, and quite probably not before he's been there for the whole fifteen.

 **Q:** How come Snape only spent a year in prison?  
 **A:** First of all, while he was convicted of 14 counts, his sentences were served concurrently, meaning they all happened at the same time. Second, while he was tried and convicted, the application of the law was a bit of a stretch, and as part of his whole cooperation agreement he didn't fight being tried on those charges (he still defended his actions, but no legal motions to dismiss on technicalities) in exchange for a reasonable sentence. Plus, while he was certainly a right b****d to his students, all of his abuse was purely in the form of verbal harassment and intimidation and not physical or worse. Combine that with the fact that even if he'd not volunteered it he would never have been allowed to teach children again, and his role in helping to take down Voldemort, and he was given a chance to take his lumps and move on. Given that it got him away from both of his "masters," as well as teaching, he was more than happy to grab on to it with both hands and make the best of it.

 **Q:** Why was Sirius so generous with Draco Malfoy?  
 **A:** Because it gave him the best chance at the outcome he wanted. Look at it this way: of all the things that Draco had taken away because of the loss of his father and his father's influence, the one that will have the biggest impact on his day-to-day life is the loss of the Malfoy fortune. It's also the one that's most easily dealt with – there's no way to fix the Malfoy name anytime soon, and even if he had the money to try and rebuild the influence, under the current Ministry that would just get him arrested, tried and convicted for bribery. So no matter what he does and where he goes, Draco's going to have to learn to live with having nobody to run to to fix things when his mouth writes checks he can't cover.

Money to live mostly in the lifestyle he's accustomed to, on the other hand, is something that can be fixed. And it gives Draco one less thing he has to adjust to, hopefully making it easier for him to do so and turn away from the path he's been walking for the past few years (since while it's enough to live comfortably, it's not enough to go around buying politicians). Combined with having to be outside of Magical Britain, and Sirius figures hopes that Draco will grow up, settle down, and not be a problem when he finally returns (if he even chooses to do so!); or, if he doesn't manage to change his ways he's either going to find himself quickly stomped by the local authorities who have no investment in looking the other way or six feet under after taking on someone who's more powerful and ruthless than he is. In both cases, it's a win for Sirius and Harry, as he's not a problem for them anymore. Plus, even if Draco gets straight Os on every single N.E.W.T. that's offered, the sum total is minuscule to Sirius, but will help Draco get himself established well enough to make his way in the world rather comfortably.

 **Q:** What about Narcissa? Does Sirius really think she's going to change her ways?  
 **A:** Not really, but that's not the point. He's asked her to try to accept the changes in Magical Britain and to do so publicly, and that's all he's really looking for. Even if she's seen having lots of trouble with it while making an effort, it'll go a long way towards making other Dark families be willing to do the same. And for those families who have Dark reputations and are worried about how they'd be treated if they actually tried to accept things, seeing Narcissa Malfoy openly trying should make them feel more comfortable doing so – after all, if she can do it and not be shunned/attacked for it, then so can they. Sirius figures she'll do only go so far before she can't force herself to do anymore, but he sees it as mostly being a PR opportunity and that's good enough for him.

 **Q:** What's the deal with Dumbledore, and why wasn't he punished more harshly?  
 **A:** First of all, let me start with this: In this story, we didn't have Evil!Dumbledore, Manipulative!Dumbledore, or any of the other more extreme possibilities that I've seen in fanfic. Albus Dumbledore was, at the end of the day, just a very powerful wizard with a number of flaws. For starters, he didn't really have any true peers (other than possibly Grindelwald, back before their falling out), so there wasn't anyone he could really use as a proper sounding board for his plans.

On top of that, ever since his defeat of Grindelwald most people looked at him in one of two ways: either he was the great and infallible Leader of the Light, or he was the Muggle-loving fool who stood in the way of the followers of the Dark. In neither case was anything they said helpful – those who followed him kept looking to him for answers and accepting them blindly, and those who opposed him did so first and foremost on ideological grounds, making it easy to brush off their arguments as being contrary for the sake of opposing him, and not because they had any merit. And over time, Dumbledore committed the biggest sin of one who's in power – he believed his own press, and stopped questioning his own decisions.

Thus, the actions that he took, and the mistakes he made, were done entirely with good intent and no checks or balances. Yes, he knew Harry was in a bad situation, but he honestly believed that in the grand scheme of things there was no better way to handle it (because if there was, he surely would have already thought of it; after all, he was the Great Albus Dumbledore, right?). Only in hindsight, after things came crumbling down around him _and still worked out OK_ was he able to break out of his tunnel vision and start considering that maybe he was wrong. And even then, it took a good 18 months plus for him to really get to the point where he could start admitting to himself that he was, without a doubt, wrong in at least some cases. He probably will never fully agree with Harry or Sirius or the Queen or any number of others as to how wrong he was, but by the time Harry graduates he's at least able to admit that there's more than one way to look at pretty much everything.

As to why he wasn't prosecuted, the biggest reason is Harry himself. The vast majority of things that he could have actually been prosecuted for were related to his treatment of Harry, and any prosecution would have both forced Harry to testify and would have thrust him into the spotlight over things he desperately wants to never even think about, let alone deal with, again. The end result is that prosecuting Dumbledore here and now would actually _cause_ much more harm to Harry than letting it go, and neither Harry nor Sirius would let that happen. On top of that, Dumbledore has been very effectively pushed to the side, and during his last year as Headmaster was kept on a rather short leash, limiting anything he could have done counter to what the Queen intended to happen.

You also have to consider this: For decades, Dumbledore has been seen as the Leader of the Light, even the Leader of Magical Britain (and the whole world – after all, Britain is the center of the world, at least to many of its natives), and now he leads _nothing_. His role in Hogwarts is to teach a couple of N.E.W.T. level classes, act as institutional memory for the new Headmaster (usually giving context as to why something was done a particular way, but not advising how to do things now), and occasionally tell stories about his vast experiences to those students who come to him asking for them. His invitation to the staff meetings was purely because he teaches some 6th and 7th year students who may not be that well-known to some of the teachers, and thus he can speak about them if needed. For the most part he just sits and listens the rest of the time, and he's explicitly excluded from any decision making that goes on. Additionally, other than while in class, he has no authority to discipline students in any way, even if he catches them fighting in the halls between classes. The most he can do is break it up and summon a full professor to deal with it, at which point he has to step back and let them take care of it.

As much as he's learned to embrace his role as a teacher once more and enjoy his retirement, there's still a part of him that's hurt by how far he's fallen. He's just mature enough to accept that it's how things are now and not make a big deal about it. Besides, if he did, he'd be out of the castle in no time at all, and he's honestly afraid that he wouldn't survive the shock.

 **Q:** Why is Dumbledore's title _Professor Emeritus_?  
 **A:** Two reasons: First, despite the fact that he's teaching a couple of advanced classes in his specialty, he's effectively retired. He has no role at Hogwarts beyond teaching those classes, and is not considered part of the full-time faculty despite living there. And second, it differentiates him from the other professors, full-time or otherwise, who have additional roles and responsibilities at the school. While it might also be considered part of Dumbledore's punishment, it's more intended to let other people know that Dumbledore is no longer considered a core part of the school, and that he's not in charge of anything. Perhaps a more appropriate title would be Adjunct Professor, but that tends to imply that he's an outsider who was brought in to teach/lecture, rather than a retired full professor.

 **Q:** If he's retired, why not _Headmaster Emeritus_ instead?  
 **A:** Mostly out of convenience – he's still teaching students, so they're likely to call him Professor anyway, and even while he was Headmaster he was always addressed as Professor, despite his title being "Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." It also makes the separation between himself and the Headmaster role that much more clear, something the current Headmaster appreciates.

 **Q:** Why did Harry renew his relationship with Dumbledore?  
 **A:** He didn't so much renew it as create a new one. Once Harry was able to move beyond the past and let it go, he saw Dumbledore as a knowledgeable resource and someone who by their own actions could be a neutral sounding board for him when his friends couldn't. While he could have just stayed away, once he was able to close the door on the previous chapter of his life he was able to admit that he liked what Dumbledore had become in the past 2+ years and enjoyed talking with the person he was now. So not creating that new relationship, while it wouldn't really have impacted Dumbledore, would have impacted him. Since it would have been his loss, he decided it was worth talking to Dumbledore and seeing if things could work, which fortunately it did.

 **Q:** Are you British?  
 **A:** Nope, American. Born in Virginia, raised just outside of Boston (Massachusetts, not Lincolnshire), now living just outside of Philadelphia. If that's not as anti-British as it gets I'm not sure what is. :P

 **Q:** If you're an American, how did you find out so much about British X, Y and Z?  
 **A:** Research. Lots, and lots, and LOTS of research. For every hour I spent writing, I probably spent at least a half hour researching, and early on that ratio was flipped. By the time I posted chapter 13 (Charter School – and I was writing 4-6 chapters ahead at that time), I'd put in at least 40-60 hours of research on the Queen and British law alone, plus an additional 20-40 hours of research on other topics (mostly Harry Potter canon, plus supporting documents where canon was lacking). It's a lot of work, but in the end it was definitely worth it.

 **Q:** Lots of good stories on FFN are unfinished, how did you not only finish this one, but stick to regular releases of chapters?  
 **A:** Pure luck? All kidding aside, luck certainly played a part in it, in that I was able to keep writing even when I had writers block at times, plus I gave myself a posting schedule that wasn't more aggressive than I could handle. When I first started posting weekly, I always had at least 3-4 chapters "in the can" waiting to post barring any last-minute issues, and occasionally as many as 6. My goal was to always be writing at least a month ahead of what was posting, so I had plenty of time to go back and fix things that caused me problems in later chapters before I was committed.

As the chapters got longer, the queue of waiting chapters got smaller, and when I got down to only being 2 chapters ahead, I switched to the 2 week posting schedule to keep myself about a month ahead. I also wrote several of the epilogues well ahead of finishing (Epilogue 1 was written at the same time as chapter 17!), and often used them as a way to write _something_ while working through a block on the current chapter. In the end I still had one chapter (26) post a week late, but that was because the chapter as it posted didn't even exist less than a week before the scheduled posting date and I needed the extra editing time.

Ultimately, the thing that helped the most with both regular posts and being able to finish was a fairly clear outline of what was to happen in each chapter (through chapter 29, though some things changed on the fly as I wrote them) along with a clear picture of where the story was going to end (Harry returning to Hogwarts, though originally it would have ended on the train rather than after the Opening Feast). While the outline did evolve organically as I wrote (up until the mid twenties, I tended to update the outline so it stayed 6-8 chapters ahead of what I was writing), it was a great help at making sure I didn't leave out any notable events that needed to happen, even if they didn't appear significant at the time.

 **Q:** How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood.  
 **A:** Pick one:  
1\. Four Quarts.  
2\. A woodchuck would chuck as much wood as a woodchuck could chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood.  
3\. Hey you woodchucks! Quit chuckin' my wood!

 **Q:** What's next?  
 **A:** I'm having shoulder surgery in 6 weeks for a torn rotator cuff so I really don't know. I may try to try and get 'Till Death Do Us Part edited and posted before then, but that's probably not going to happen. We'll see how much I can do with it during my recovery, but any heavy writing will probably have to wait until spring. Other than that, we'll just have to see where my muse takes me :)


End file.
